..^f+iyi^ 


CIHM 
Microfiche 
Series 
(Monographs) 


ICMH 

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microfiches 
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Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microroproductions  /  InstUut  canadien  de  r     t  oroproductions  historiques 


1999 


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lOx 

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illustrent  la  m*thode. 


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MICROCOPY    RESOLUTION    TEST    CHART 

ANSI  n.u1   ISO   TfSI   CHARl    No     2 


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J       4PPI    IFn   IIVHGE     Inc 


■Mii 


The  WHITE  PERIL 
IN  THE  FASL  EAST 


SIDNEY  L.  GULICK. 


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THE    WHITE    PERIL 
IN     THE      FAR     EAST 


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BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR 


Fourth  Edition. 

Evolution    of  The  Japanese 

A  Study  of  Their   Characteristics 

8vo.    Cloth.    $2.00,  net. 

"  Evidence  of  first  hand  and  intimate  knowl- 
edge of  the  Japanese  people  is  abundant  in 
every  chapter.  Marked  by  sane  co.istraint 
and  critical  acumen  and  it  leaves  with  the 
reader  a  picture  of  life  in  [apan  that  is  clear 
and  convincing.  The  reading  of  this  book 
is  like  looking  at  the  Japanese  through  the 
eyes  of  an  observant  and  clear-headed  resi- 
dent of  Japan." — The  Outlook. 


Fifth  Edition,  Revised  and  Enlarged. 
The  Growth  of  the  Kingdom  of  God 

Illustrated  with    Twenty-six    Diagrams. 

l2mo.     Cloth.     Si.  50. 

"  Commends  itself  to  thoughtful,  earnest  men 
of  any  nation  as  a  most  valuable  missionary 
paper.  Mr.  Gulick  traces  the  Christian 
religion  through  history  and  up  to  now.  The 
survey  is  calm,  patient,  thoroughly  honest, 
and  quietly  assured."—  Ev>ifigi/i>t. 

Fleming     II.     Revell     Company 


THE  WHITE  PERIL 
IN  THE  FAR   EAST 

An  Interpretation  of  the  Si^ifi- 
cance  of  the  Russo-Japanese  War 


By 


SIDNEY  LEWIS  GULICK,M.  A.  D.D. 


New  York  Chicago  Toronto 

Fleming    H.    Revell    Company 

London    ano    Edinburgh 


BEiiKfflgii!ni!!!nn5S!M!l5S!irj|i!'i!tll!#!!!l'.!!' 


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Copyright,  1905,  by 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


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.iff'! 


New  York:  i=;S  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  o^  Washington  Street 
Toronto:  27  Richmond  Street,  W 
London:  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh:      100     Princes    Street 


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Preface 

On  the  8th  of  February,   1904,   japan  crossed 
swords  with  a  European  people.     And  from  the 
destruction  of  the  l^anag  on  that  day  until  the 
fall  of  Port  Arthur  on  the  ist  of  January,  1905, 
nothing  but  failure  has  been  Russia's  fate,  noth- 
ing   but    success    Japan's     fortune.       For    the 
first  time  in  history  has  an  Asiatic  people  suc- 
cessfully faced  a  white  foe.     The  Kusso-Japanese 
war  marks  an  era,  therefore,  in  the  history  of  the 
Far  East,  and  of  the  world,  for  now  begins  a  re- 
adjustment of  the  balance  of  power  among  the 
nations,  a  readjustment  which  promises  to  halt 
the  territorial  expansion  of  white  races  and  to 
check  their  racial  pride. 

To  appreciate  the  significance  of  this  war  as 
one  act  in  the  tragedy  of  the  white  peril  we  must 
understand  Japan.  How  has  she  attained  the 
power,  material  and  temperamental,  which  is 
enabling  her  to  face  the  white  man  and  to  con- 
quer him  ?  This  question  we  study  in  our  earlier 
chapters.  In  those  that  follow  we  study  the  sig- 
nificance of  the  war,  and  the  problems  of  the  Far 
Fast   in  their  world-setting.      We  are  not  con- 


Preface 


cerned  with  dates  and  battles,  with  armies  and 
heroes.  Rather  shall  we  consider  movements 
and  tendencies,  national  ambitions  and  interna- 
tional relations. 

Emphasis  is  laid  on  the  peril  to  the  Far  East  of 
the  white  man's  ambitions  and  methods.  Justice 
to  white  races,  however,  demands  recognition 
also  of  the  blessings  they  confer  upon  those  lands, 
in  a  real  sense  the  white  peril  is  becoming  the 
white  blessing  of  the  CVient.  Yet  the  aim  of  th 
present  work  in  these  pages  precludes  adequate 
emphasis  of  this  point. 

Certain  graceful  writers,  masters  of  imagina- 
tive style,  have  describe  .  japan  as  ideal  in  every 
direction,  a  view  widely  nopularizeu  to-day  by 
Japan's  brilliant  militaiy  record.  But  of  course 
no  thoughtful  man  will  be  misled,  for  national  as 
well  as  individual  perfection  is  impossible. 
Highly  admiring  Japan  as  I  do,  absence  of  criti- 
cism in  the  following  pages  does  not  signify  ac- 
ceptance of  the  popular  unbalanced  admiration. 

Whatever  value  Has  work  may  have  must  be 
ascribed  in  large  measure  to  my  Japanese  friends 
whose  thought  .is  to  their  national  character  and 
destiny  and  the  real  me.ining  of  this  war  has 
dclinitciv  influenced  my  own  point  of  view. 

I  wish  also  to  express  the  deepest  gratitude  to 


A^retace  ^ 

my  sister,  Mrs.  Frances  Gulick  Jewett.  for  her  in- 
spiration in  the  inception  of  this  study  and  for 
her  laborious  and  invaluable  assistance  in  revis- 
ing the  manuscript.  Indeed  this  volume  owes  to 
her  pen  whatever  of  literary  excellence  it  may 
possess. 


3 


>.  •-   ■    .-Tttji., 


-^ 


Contents 


I. 
II. 
III. 

IV. 
V. 

VI. 
VII. 

viir. 

IX. 

X. 

XI. 
XII. 
XIII. 


Pre-Meiji  Times,         ■  .  .         . 

The  Avvak>  ling,  •         .  .         . 

The  Reaction,      .  .  ,  _ 

The  Period  of   Discrimination, 

Is  Japan  Oriental  or  Occidental  ?     Japanese 

Treatment  of"  Russian  Prisoners, 
The  Mission  of"  Japan, 
A  New  Period,  .... 

Japan's  Recent  Development, 

Japan's    Ability   to    Maintain    a    Prolonged 
War,      ... 

The  Causes  of  the  War, 

The  Real  Meaning  of"  the  War,     . 

The  Yellow  Peril  vs.  The  White  Peril,  . 

The   Permanent    Peace  of  the  Orient  — A 
Suggestion,      .... 


1 1 

21 

53 
59 

87 
109 

118 
•23 

128 
•38 

'54 

164 

180 


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■-         ' 


The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 


I 

PRE-MEIJI  TIMES 

"  Meiji"  means  "  enlightened  rule."  This  term 
was  chosen  by  the  present  Hmperor  as  the  of- 
ficial title  of  the  period  covered  by  his  rule.  The 
present  year  (ic)os)  is  called  in  Japan  Meiji  A 
that  is  the  thirty-eighth  year  of  tnlightened 
Rule,  and  the  designation  itself  doubtless  charac- 
terizes the  Imperial  purpose.  From  the  start  he 
and  his  councillors  determined  to  depart  from 
many  ancient  customs,  notably  those  of  interna- 
tional isolation. 

To  appreciate  adequately  the  significance  of 
the  Meiji  era  and  its  consequences  both  to  na- 
tional life  and  international  relations,  we  must 
glance  briefiy  at  the  conditions  and  the  spirit  of 
the  people  in  pre-Meiji  times. 

Ill  the  attitude  of  the  Japanese  towards  foreign- 
ers, ancient  history  may  be  divided  int..  two 
periods,   that  preceding  the  Tokugawa   regency 

1 1 


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12       The  White  Peril  in  the  F;ir  East 


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and  that  covered  by  that  regency  Ci(xx>-iS67). 
As  Occidentals  we  need  to  remember  that  self- 
sufficiency  and  self-determined  isolation  were 
matters  exclusively  of  the  second  period.  It 
would  appear  that  from  time  immemorial  Japan 
was  entirely  hospitable  to  foreign  ways  and  for- 
eign teachers.  She  welcomed  Koreans  and  Chi- 
nese who  brought  to  her  new  philosophical  and 
ethical  ideas,  new  religious  creeds,  and  a  new 
civilization.  As  in  recent  decades  Japanese  stu- 
dents have  flocked  to  western  lands,  so  in  ancient 
times  Japanese  students  went  abroad  for  learn- 
ing, some,  if  their  histories  may  be  credited, 
having  travelled  even  as  far  as  India. 

How  open-minded  Japan  was  politically,  intel- 
lectually and  religiously  in  the  sixteenth  century 
may  be  gathered  from  the  wide  welcome  given 
the  first  missionaries  of  Christianity.  Not  only 
Francis  Xavicr  (i=,4())  but  scores  of  Huropean 
priests  and  monks  won  theii  way  into  the  hearts 
and  homes  of  Japan.  Within  fifty  years  m.iny 
hundred  thousand  Jap;inese  had  fornially  ac- 
cepted the  (Christian  f.uth;  and  not  until  the  rulers 
began  to  suspect  the  monks  of  political  designs, 
was  the  historic  attitude  of  Japan  towards  for- 
eigners changed.  Nor  was  that  changi-  rc.ulily 
enforced.     Ldict  followed  edict,  peiseculion  fol- 


Prc-Meiji  Times 


»3 


lowed  persecution.  Large  rewards  were  offered 
(or  information  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  foreign 
monks  and  native  Christians.  Christianity  was 
branded  as"Ja-kyo,"  the  "  Evil  Way."  Yet  in 
spite  of  Imperial  Edicts  and  numberless  "  Ban- 
ning Boards,"  in  spite  of  the  popular  condemna- 
tion of  Christianity,  and  in  spite  of  its  persistent 
persecution  by  the  government,  Christianity  was 
not  finally  exterminated,  nor  the  foreigner  com- 
pletely excluded  from  the  country  until  tens  of 
thousands  of  martyrs  had  given  their  lives  as 
well  as  their  fortunes  in  behalf  of  their  foreign 
friends  and  of  their  own  faith.  Well  nigh  fifty 
years  of  determined  and  ruthless  persecution  were 
needed  by  the  government  to  drive  the  dreaded 
foe  from  japan,— eloquent  testimony  to  the  fidelity 
and  the  open-mindedness  of  multitudes  of  the 
people  to  tht  creeds  and  the  teachers  from  other 
lands. 

The  Occidental  often  Imds  difficulty  in  appre- 
ciating the  significance  of  Japanese  exclusion  of 
Christianity  and  of  Occidentals.  We  are  too  apt 
to  count  it  a  rejection  of  Christianity  per  se. 
Hut  tliis  IS  an  t'nor.  Roman  Catholicism  has 
lor  a  thousand  years  held  the  view  that  the 
cluiith  is  superior  to  the  state  and  should  rule  it. 
lioui  time  immemorial  Roman  Catholic  missions 


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14      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

have  insisted  on  the  ultimate  political  supremacy 
of  the  Pope  of  Rome.  Japan's  suspicions  of  the 
political  aspirations  of  Christianity  were  fully 
justified.  She  logically  excluded  all  foreigners 
because  all  the  foreigners  she  knew  held  to  a  po- 
litical theory  of  the  Christian  religion. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  no  form  of  Christianity 
which  seeks  to  subordinate  the  state  to  the 
Church  will  ever  find  permanent  lodgment  in 
Japan.  She  builded  better  than  she  knew  in  ex- 
cluding from  her  land  an  organized  religion  with 
political  aspirations.  It  has  proved  the  bane  of 
Europe  and  would  similarly  have  brought  suffer- 
ing to  Japan. 

Although  Japan  excluded  Christianity  and  not 
only  forbade  the  entrance  of  all  foreigners  but  also 
made  it  a  crime  for  the  Japanese  themselves  to 
visit  other  lands,  yet  she  was  not  wholly  ignorant 
of  the  movements  of  the  outside  world.  Three 
merchant  ships  from  Holland  were  annually  al- 
lowed entrance  to  Nagasaki,  and  her  small  colony 
of  Dutchmen  were  permitted  to  live  on  a  certain 
small  island  in  the  harbour.  Through  these 
Dutchmen  she  kept  her  eye  on  the  West.  Japa- 
nese writers  indeed  insist  that  they  received  far 
more  from  the  West  than  we  have  realized.  It 
must  be  granted  nevertheless  that  the  policy  of  ex- 


Pre-Aleiji  Times  ^r 

elusion  was  probably  more  complete  for  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years  than  that  which  any  other 
large  nation  has  ever  successfully  maintained.    Al- 
though the  government  itself  might  in  a  measure 
have  kept  in  touch  with  the  West,  such  persistent 
isolation,  and  for  such  definite  reasons  of  suspi- 
cion  and    fear  could  not  fail  to  develop  among 
the  people  at  large  a  profound  antipathy  to  the 
foreigner  as  such.     No  caricature  of  his  form  or 
description  of  his  character  was  too  dreadful  for 
credence.     The  Christian  religion  was  popularly 
supposed  to  teach  various  forms  of  abomination 
and  immorality.     The  very  presence  of  foreigners 
on  the  sacred  soil  of  Japan  was  supposed  to  pol- 
lute the  land  and  to  contaminate  her  people  de- 
scended from  the  gods. 

Yet  we  must  guard  here  against  exaggeration. 
Such    was    doubtless    the    view   widely    taught 
and   obediently   accepted.     From  abundant  per- 
sonal experiences  among  the  farmers  and  the  mer- 
chants, I  am  persuaded  that  at  the  present  time 
this  anti-foreign  sentiment  has  relatively  but  light 
hold  upon  them.     Naturally  enough  it'  has  been 
rclt  and  fostered  chiefiy  by  the  ruling  classes,  who 
have  looked  at  the  foreigner  not  merely  as  indi- 
viduals, as  specimens  of  humanity,   but  as  po- 
tential  political   pirates,  and   not  without  much 


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16      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

justification,  as  history  has  shown  both  in   the 
past,  and  especially  at  the  present  moment. 

But  even  in  the  early  days  of  renewed  inter- 
course with  the  West  many  experiences  brought 
to  unexpected  light  a  real  kindliness  of  heart  on 
the  part  of  the  common  people  towards  the  Occi- 
dental.    Dr.  Beltz  has  told  of  one  such  experi- 
ence.    With  a  comrade  he  was  travelling  in  the 
interior  among  farmers  who  had  never  seen  a  for- 
eigner.    At  one  place  he  and  his  friend  proposed 
to  climb  a  mountain  but  they  were  told  that  be- 
cause it  was  sacred  no  one  was  permitted  to  do 
this.     Should    they    try,    some  calamity  would 
surely  be  visited  upon  them  by  the  local  Deity. 
The  guides  refused  to  go  with  them.     Smiling  at 
the  superstitions  of  the  natives  and  trampling  on 
their  religious    scruples,   the    enterprising    for- 
eigners  pressed  on.     Strangely   enough,  after  a 
hard  tramp  of  several  miles  the  comrade  was  sud- 
denly taken  ill,  and  there  was  nothing  for  Mr. 
Beltz  to   do  but  to  return  for  help  to  the  men 
whose  council  he  had  spurned  and  whose  relig- 
ious  feelings  he  had  ignored.     Under  such  cir- 
cumstances, what  treatment  was  to  be  expected 
from  the  natives  ?    No  kind  attention  surely,  yet 
as  a  matter  of  fact  responding  generously  to  the 
needs  of  the  foreigner,  and  in  spite  of  their  own 


i 


"* 


•f 

I 


Pre-Meiji  Times  ly 

strong  religious  scruples,  those  natives  climbed  the 
mountain  and  brought  down  on  their  shoulders 
the  afflicted  white  man. 

Wide  personal  experience   in  the  interior  of 
Japan,    where  even  to  this  day  few  foreigners 
ever  go,  and  constant  intercourse  for  seventeen 
years  with  merchants,  farmers,  and  artisans,  has 
convmced  me  that  unreasoning,  racial  antipathy 
has  to-day  practically  no  existence  among  the 
common  people;  particularly  is  this  true  at  a  dis- 
tance from  the  treaty  ports:  and  if  there  is  little 
of  this  sentiment  to-day,  is  it  not  fair  to  argue 
that  It  could  never  have  been  deep-rooted  ?    But 
I  cannot  say  so  much  for  official  Japan  nor  for  the 
common   people  in  the  ports.     Here,  suspicion 
and  deep  dislike  have  ofte-      ^en  conspicuous 
And  by  official  Japan  I  do  nc     mean  merely  offi- 
cers who  are  on  duty;  I  refer  also  to  the  social 
class  from  which  they  come,  and  particularly  to 
the  Samurai.     There  can  hardly  be  a  doubt    ut 
this  old  warrior  class  entertained  a  genuine  an- 
tipathy to  the  foreigner  as  such.     In  view  of  past 
history,  however,  the  marvel  is  that  in  less  than 
two  generations,  so  great  a  part  of  even   this 
warnor  class  has  been  able  to  set  antipathy  aside 
and  to  treat  the  foreigner  as  a  friend. 
To  sum  up  then:_no  nation  has  on  the  whole 


l8      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 


m 


I'M 


left  a  more  honourable  record  in  regard  to  its  atti- 
tude towards  foreigners  than  has  japan.  The 
Tokugawa  period  of  fear,  suspicion  and  intense 
antipathy  on  the  part  of  the  ruling  class,  is  ex- 
ceptional in  the  history  of  Japan.  But  the  causes 
of  that  antipathy  are  clear  and  they  have  their 
justification. 

The  cause  of  Japan's  long  isolation  was  the 
discovery  of  the  white  peril.  The  aggressive 
spirit  and  grasping  ambitions  of  the  white  man 
compelled  the  rulers  of  Japan  to  look  not  only 
with  disfavoi  i  on  their  politically  organized  relig- 
ion, but  altogether  to  forbid  their  coming  to 
Japan,  as  the  best  and  easiest  solution  of  the  prob- 
lems connected  with  the  white  peril. 

That  full  justice  be  done  to  Japan's  attitude 
towards  foreign  peoples,  let  the  reader  recall  the 
mental  attitude  of  occidental  nations  during  the 
past  four  hundred  years  towards  the  African, 
the  Chinaman,  and  the  Hindoo.  Do  not  the 
white  peoples  of  Europe  and  of  America  feel 
that  Africa,  India  and  Asia  are  regions  for  legiti- 
mate commercial  and  political  expansion  ?  Do 
we  not  act  on  the  theory  ihat  those  regions  and 
peoples  are  for  us  to  exploit  to  our  own  com- 
mercial advantage? 
It  may  be  that  we  justify  ourselves  hy  enu- 


^fe.-.:^ 


Pre-Meiji  Times 


19 

merating  our  points  of  superiority.     We   note 
with  pride  our  civilization,  and  contrast  it  with 
their  barbarity;    we  exult  in  our  strength  and 
impose  on  their  helplessness.     We  boast  of  our 
high    morality    and    enlightened    religion    and 
decry  their    immorality  and    superstitions.     In 
these  things  we  think  we  hear  the  call  of  God  to 
go   forth   to  conquer  and   to  rule.     If  we  are 
evolutionists  we  appeal  to  the  struggle  for  ex- 
istence and  felicitate  ourselves  on  the  fact  that 
nature  has  made  us  the  fittest  to  survive  in  the 
struggle  of  nations.     In  subduing  and  destroying 
other  nations  and  races  are  we  not  fulfilling  our 
destiny  and  theirs  ? 

Since  the  discovery  of  America,  the  dream  of 
conquest,   of    empire  and  of  unearned   wealth 
has  intoxicated  the  white  people  of  the  earth 
and  made  them  the  curse  and  the  scourge  of  all 
the   world.    Japan's   first    reaction    on   coming 
into  contact  with  the  white  man  was  to  close 
her  doors  and  decline  to  have  anything  to  do 
with  him.     Who  shall  criticise  or  condemn  her  ? 
If  she  has  feared  or  scorned  or  disdained  the 
white  man,  who  shall  say  that  her  instinct  for 
self-preservation  has  been  at  fauk? 

There  is  perhaps  no  truer  sign  of  the  essentially 
provmcial  character  of  the  self-centred  white  peo- 


H«MR»)ll»inB15nHfiW5i!!!i!!Wi;nnjH{?lJE5 


!iH5inrj;?3iij! 


liiHi)iiH^««MM)<^i#-HMi'»)-Mttu'>i 


0 

111 
fas 


20       The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 


I 


m 


pie  than  their  failure  to  discover  or  appreciate  the 
noble  and  the  beautiful  in  the  great  civilizations 
of  the  Orient,  Hindoo,  Chinese  and  Jap.mese. 
We  have  been  blinded  to  these  bv  the  selfish- 
ness of  our  li\'es,  the  greed  of  our  ambitions  and 
the  pride  of  our  might.  Surelv  the  outstanding 
fact  in  the  relations  of  the  West  to  the  East  has 
been  the  peril  to  the  yellow  and  brown  races 
through  the  presence  of  the  white  man,  whose 
assumption  has  been  the  theory  that  night 
makes  right. 


pi 


II 

THE  AWAKENING 

Japanese  historians  speak  of  the  era  of  the 
Tokugawa  regency  (1600-1867)  ^-s  "the  Great 
IVace.'  because  during  tliat  period  Japan  was 
P'^ut.caliy  free  from  civil  war,  a  condition 
sharply  u.  contrast  to  the  preceding  .,000  years 
ol  almost  continuous  strife. 

Kccent  Japanese  writers  and   public  speakers, 
however,  commonly  refer  to  the  same  perioci  of 
::^o  yoars  as  the  •'  Long  Sleep."  and  to  the  Meiji 
n-.i  as  the   •■Awakening."     While  Japan  slept, 
they  sav,  western  nations  forged  ahead,  acquired 
knowledge,    power,    wealth,    and    world-wide 
possessions.       When     at     last     Admiral     IV.  ry 
knocked    .It    her    doors    oN=,^.,    disturbed    her 
slumbers,  .md   showed   to  her  ships  that  moved 
wiili.uit  s.nis  and  .igainst  Ihe  wind,  the  insignifi- 
t-inM    n(   b.T  own  knowledge  .md   power  was 
•'^•'^'^•"t-       She     rubbed     he,      sKrpv    eves     and 
wndeied     with     vaeue     le.ir    wh.it     ,t     might 
Mgnifv. 

■flu-    Tokug.iwa    .Shni;una(e    w.is   (he    first    to 

21 


I 


r  ■■■ 


iJ 


4 


22      The  White  Peril  in  the  Fur  East 


m 

Mil 
I' 


I 


realize  in  some  degree  the  danger  and  the  im- 
potence of  forcible  resistance  to  the  white  man. 
Treaties  w<'-e  made,  but  probably  without  in- 
tention of  lully  executing  them.  By  a-hand-to 
mouth  policy  of  deception  and  evasion  they 
hoped  by  apparent  concession  to  maintain  the 
old  policy  of  non-intercourse  with  the  white 
man. 

Fortunate  was  it  for  Japan  that  the  United 
States  was  the  lirst  nation  effectually  to  seek 
entrance  to  the  country  and  that  Town'-<  nd 
Harris,  the  American,  was  the  first  diplomat  to 
negotiate  treaties.  It  required  infinite  tad  nd 
patience  and  absolute  truthfulness  and  tireless, 
unrullled  insistence  on  his  part  to  persuade  the 
government  to  make  and  ratify  treaties  which 
have  proved  to  be  wise  and  useful  to  Japan.  To 
this  day.  the  government  of  the  United  Slates 
has  been  the  single  white  nation  always  free 
from  aggressive  schemes  and  always  regaidtul 
of  Japanese  rights  and  interests.  This  fad  per- 
haps more  than  any  other  has  led  the  Japanese  to 
disciiminate  between  white  peoples  .ind  to  dis- 
tinguish differences,  .1  l.kl  ol  the  greatest  im- 
portance in  the  evolution  of  New  Japan. 

Mat  although  the  luldig.iw.i  Shogunate 
promptly    lecognued    the    dangerous    situation 


II 


The  Awakening 


of    the    nation    vis-a-vii 


23 

with  the  nations  of 
Hurope,  and  in  due  time  ratified  one  treaty  after 
another  with  those  dreaded  peoples,  admitting 
them  to  live  and  trade  in  a  few  specified  "  treaty 
ports,"  the  nation  itself  did  not  apparently  ap- 
preciate the  situation  nor  acc.,.t  the  solution. 
This,  with  other  causes,  led  at  last  to  the  civil 
war  and  the  overthrow  of  the  Shogunate,  known 
in  Japan  as  "Go-ishin"  (1807),  and  resulted  in 
the  abolishment  of  the  dual  system  of  govern- 
ment and  the  establishment  of  the  Hmperor  upon 
the  throne  with  actual  as  well  as  nominal 
authority. 

When,  however,  the  Hmperoi  assumed  direct 
conlrol  of  affairs,  and  studied  the  problems  of 
international  relations,  he,  too,  with  his  coun- 
cillors, discovered  that  Japan  could  not  by  any 
possible  means  resist  the  white  man  and  hold 
herself  aloof  as  formerly  from  the  western 
world.  The  white  man,  with  power  which 
seemed  supernatur.il,  was  already  established  in 
the  tie.itv  ports  with  his  solemnly  signed  and 
Miilied  tie.ities.  Japan  discovered  that  steam  and 
ni.Khineiv  h.id  111. ide  I  he  world  too  small  for 
iinv  p.iit  thereof  to  sefMrale  itsell  entirely  from 
the  brn.ideniiig  cunents  ,<\  the  world's  life. 

I  hese  considerations  were   .ilso  lorced  home 


m 

'i, 


i   I 


■it 


it 


Ml 


!a!:!3l5lW;jl|T!l|E]il';*lf;|;l; 


m 


^^.v^^.Vf>ihv,  "wMmmM 


iteiSrtfUiiiliUlilUlRltfttwtiiiHH.! 


m 
'■1 


i 


24      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

by  one  or  two  slight  encounters  with  armed 
whites  (Shimonoseki  and  Kagoshima),  in  which 
local  authorities  realized  the  absolute  military  and 
naval  impotence  of  Japan  as  agiirist  the  West. 

Such  were  the  forces  that  led  Japanese  states- 
men lo  abandon  the  old  policy  of  exclusion  and 
isolation.  The  Hmperor  and  his  councillors  now 
adopted  a  plan  which  for  wisdon  and  boldness 
can  hardly  be  surpassed  in  the  annals  of  history. 
While  not  for  a  moment  failing  to  appreciate  the 
aggressive  character  of  white  peoples  and  the  re- 
sulting necessity  of  thwarting  them  in  every 
move,  Japanese  leaders  recognized  that  in  inter- 
national relations  the  final  apf  ea!  can  only  be  to 
superior  power  and  that  pov  >  be  superior, 
must  be  informed  and  lrain»:a.  Abandoning, 
therefore,  her  long  course  of  sclf-sufticient  isola- 
tion, Japan  plunged  into  thi"  stream  of  the 
world's  life,  determined  to  acquire  ail  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  world  and  with  that  knowledge  to 
win  her  way  to  a  place  among  the  nations. 
Equipped  with  the  implements  and  arts  of  war, 
she  would  then  maintain  her  rights  and  her  life  if 
need  be  by  the  appeal  to  arms. 

That  decision  was  proclaimed  to  the  natioti  m 
the  famous  edict  known  in  Japan  as  the  "Go 
Kajo   no    go    Scibun."     the     II  moin.ililc     I'ive 


II 


III 


The  Awak 


em 


ng 


25 


Articled  Honourable  Edict,  of  which  the  follow- 
ing is  the  translation: 

1.  All  the  ajTairs  of  the  state  shall  be  guided 

by  public  opinion  ^ 

2.  The  principles  of  social  and  political  economy 

snail    be   diligently   studied    by    both    the 
superior  and  inlerior  classes  of  our  people 

3.  bverv  one  in  the  community  shall  be  assisted 

to  persevere  in  carrying  out  his  will  for  all 
good  purposes. 

4-     All  old  absurd  usages  shall  be  disregarded 
and  resort  shall  be  had  to  the  right  way 
that  exists  between  heaven  and  earth 

').  Wisdom  and  ability  shall  be  sought  after  in 
111  quarters  o(  the  w  orld,  for  the  puri^ose 
-^f  hrmly  establishing  the  Imperial  domina- 


o 
tion. 


Especially  important  are  the  fouith  and  fifth 
■I'ticks  which  alone  made  possible  that  almost 
incredible  series  of  transform.uions  whereby 
feudal  Japan  became  New  J.,p,n.  The  first  and 
'"Lirth  articles  secured  the  inner  reorganization  of 
<he  nation,  both  in  form  mid  in  spirit,  and  the 
firth  established  a  totally  new  attitude  towards 
tlH-  outer  world.  Sanctioned  by  the  hmperor, 
tlu'se  prinuple.  became  the  established  method 
•'nd  spirit  of  the  j'eopk'. 

hi  no  wise,  howcvei.  did  this  mean  that  fear 
"f  'lie  f..reigne!  had  erased.  ()„  the  contrary  it 
-siKriified  that  he  was  even   more  greativ  feared 


'  '! 


i 


(:.1 


r^ 


Mi^i 


a«MHiaiittitiHst»t*(«'*i-'i*>Hi?i-'-iiiiB«Kiui---ui^f,. 


26       The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 


m 

.'•'V 


il 


and  that  what  had  been  a  mere  distant  possibility 
had  now  become  a  dreadfully  near  probability. 

As  already  indicated,  the  hope  was  that  before 
the  foreigner  should  become  an  active  aggressor, 
Japan  herself  might  have  learned  the  secrets  of 
western  power  and  with  that  power  might  equip 
herself  for  resistance.  Time  has  proved  the  wis- 
dom of  her  course.  Had  japan  not  turned  face 
when  she  did,  she  would  ere  this  have  become 
the  subject  of  sf)me  European  nation.  Had  she 
not  equipped  herself  with  all  the  military  and 
naval  skill  of  the  West,  who  would  doubt  the 
issue  of  the  present  contlict  ? 

But  the  full  awakening  of  any  nation  is  at  best 
a  slow  process.  Though  Japan  was  opened  to 
the  world  by  treaty  in  18s  3,  not  until  1871  were 
thj  edict  boards  banning  Christianity  taken  down 
and  not  until  1889  was  the  constitution  pro- 
claimed which  provides  for  national  represcnta- 
ti\'e  government  and  guarantees  religious  liberty 
to  the  people. 

Meichints  and  m.issionaiies  weic  in  Japan  in 
tlie  fifties,  but  it  was  not  until  the  seventies  that 
their  presence  excitt'd  anv  .ippreciaMe  inllucnce 
on  tlu'  n.ition.  With  tlie  removal  of  the  b. inning 
boards  .iiui  \hc  commencement  of  direct  teaciiing 
and    preaching   by  the   missionaries,  Japan  was 


The  Awakening 


27 


fairly  started  on  her  new  era  of  western  learning. 
Groups  of  young  men  began  to  study  English 
and  in  due  time  one  after  another  became  earnest 
Christians  and  advocates  of  western  civilization. 
They  preached  their  new  doctrines  with  fervour, 
gaining  the  ear  of  a  wider  public  than  could  be 
reached  by  the  voice  of  the  missionary. 

Harly  in  the  seventies  Japan  sent  embassies  to 
America  and  Europe  to  secure  a  modification  of 
previous  tieaties,  hoping  thereby  to  regain  com- 
plete sovereignty  in  her  own  country.  Those 
early  treaties  had  in  them  what  were  known  as 
the  "extra  territorial"  clauses,  which  provided 
that  all  c.iuses  of  litigation  between  Japanese 
and  foreigners  should  be  tried  in  consular 
courts  and  through  this  requirement,  Japan  had 
discovered  that  western  nations  considered  her 
legal  processes  as  uncivilized.  She  realized  that 
before  regaining  complete  sovereignty,  she  must 
adjust  her  people  and  her  laws  to  western  stand- 
ards. This  realization  has  been  an  incentive  of 
no  mean  importance  in  brmgmg  Japa.i  rapidly  to 
her  present  state  of  high  attainment.  The  lead- 
ers of  her  people  have  striven  to  modify  national 
life  and  to  raise  all  public  conduct  to  the  best 
standards  (if  the  West  and  it  must  be  conlcssed 
that  they  have  done  it  with  great  success. 


i 


*(i 


4' 
I' 

i!  |i' 

1 1 


SMirawiBiranrpManara, 


W$»ifil-!Wtlitt.lt4ii-iaHW«:-tf!-'i^'r-f! 


P 


m 


||;ti! 
fu;' 


II: 

Mi 


28      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

Popular  education  was  introduced  early.  Vast 
numbers  of  young  men  came  to  western  lands, 
some  at  government  expense  but  the  majority  at 
their  own  charges.  They  entered  our  best  insti- 
tutions. They  not  only  studied  the  sciences  but 
the  arts  and  especially  the  industries.  It  is  not 
necessary  for  me  to  describe  in  detail  the  course 
of  the  government  in  employing  foreigners  at 
heavy  expenses  to  teach  in  their  higher  institu- 
tions, to  start  their  military  and  naval  reconstruc- 
tion, to  found  factories,  arsenals,  dockyards, 
postal  and  telegraph  systems,  railroads,  water- 
works, and  to  introduce  a  thousand  other  devices 
common  in  the  western  world. 

As  experience  was  gained  and  younr  men  re- 
turned with  their  new  knowledge,  theocidentali- 
zation  of  Japan  became  more  and  more  pro- 
nounced. From  the  determined  purpose  of  the 
rulers  and  a  few  progossive  thmkers  during  the 
early  seventies,  this  occidentalizatmn  became  the 
fad  and  fashion  of  the  multitudes  during  the  eight- 
ies. It  went  to  j4reat  extremes  in  many  Inu's. 
Foreign  apparel  became  the  rage  for  a  season.  A 
silk  hat,  a  dress  coat,  a  pair  ol  undcr-dravvors  and 
"geta"  (clogs)  constituted  full  dress  to  more 
than  one  ardent  advocate  of  foreign  ways. 
Japanese  ladies  also  caught  the  (ever,   not   only 


The  Awakenin: 


29 


bringing  great  trouble  to  the  lady  missionaries, 
wiio  were  besought  to  teach  them  the  mysteries 
of  western  dressmaking,  but  also  to  their  own 
discomfiture  in  person  and  appearance.  For  it  is 
safe  to  say  that  no  Japanese  lady  ever  appears 
quite  so  attractive  in  a  foreign  gown  as  in  her 
own  picturesque  costume. 

By  the  middle  of  the  eighties,  the  foreignizing 
movement  was  in  full  swing.  Leaders  of 
thought  were  even  advocating  the  formal  adop- 
tion of  Christianity;  and  the  reasons  for  this  were 
twofold.  First  was  the  thought  that  full  bene- 
fits of  western  civilization  would  be  attained 
more  surely  and  quickly  by  adopting  Christianity 
as  the  national  religion.  This  was  the  argument 
of  so  eminent  an  educator  as  the  late  Mr.  Fuku- 
/awa.  In  other  words  the  material  benefits,  the 
loaves  and  the  fishes  of  what  was  supposed  to 
be  Christian  civilization,  led  to  the  strange  sug- 
gestion. The  second  argument  was  that  western 
nations  would  not  restore  to  Japan  her  full  sover- 
eignty unless  she  became  Christian.  Thus  we 
see  that  the  formal  adoption  of  Christianity  as  the 
slate  religion  was  prompted  by  the  desire  to  se- 
cure from  the  West  full  political  recognition. 

It  IS  not  strange  that  under  the  influence  of 
these   various   mu   ves  the  missionaries  became 


111 


I 


im 


mli 


30      The  White  Peril  in  the  Fur  East 

popular.  Their  schools  tilled  and  overtlowed. 
tveii  the  churches  grew  by  leaps  and  bounds. 
Indeed  during  the  eighties  every  Christian  enter- 
prise was  blessed  with  extraordinary  success. 
Bach  year  the  gains  in  church  membership  were 
phenomenal. 

in  view  of  all  this  it  is  not  strange  that  native 
preachers  and  missionaries  alike  foretold  the 
speedy  Christianizing  of  the  nation.  It  was  the 
common  thought  during  this  period  both  in 
America  and  in  Japan  that  ere  the  close  of  the 
century  that  country  would  be  so  far  Christian  as 
to  need  no  further  missionary  assistance. 

As  so  often  happens,  however,  a  process  that 
moves  too  fast  is  followed  by  reaction.  Just  that 
occurred  in  Japan.  It  is  doubtful  whether  at  the 
time  any  one  realized  the  fact  that  such  rapid  oc- 
cidentalization,  such  an  attempt  on  the  part  of  a 
whole  people  to  drop  its  own  past  and  clothe  itself 
body  and  soul  with  the  inner  and  outer  accoutre- 
ments of  a  totally  alien  civilization,  would  neces- 
sarily result  in  radical  revulsion  of  feeling  and  in 
reaction  of  conduct.  Yet  that  result  showed 
itself  in  the  nineties,  a  more  detailed  study  of 
which  will  be  presented  in  the  next  chapter. 

It  is  enough  here  to  note  that  for  about  hfteen 
years  after  the  (jpening  of  the  country  by  treaty, 


The  Awakening 


31 


Japan  was  more  or  less  uncertain  what  to  do. 
Should  she  accept  foreign  intercourse  or  reject  it? 
The  vast  majority  of  the  ruling  class  favoured  the 
latter  course.  Those  who  were  in  immediate 
contact  with  the  problem,  who  had  to  meet  the 
hairy  foreigner  face  to  face,  saw  that  the  policy 
of  rejection  and  continued  isolation  was  impos- 
sible, nay  suicidal.  Their  judgment  finally  carried 
the  day,  and  the  policy  of  foreign  intercourse, 
once  adopted  by  the  Emperor,  was  promptly  ac- 
cepted by  the  people  and  in  certain  bald  imita- 
tive forms  reached  its  climax  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  eighties. 

During  that  period  of  nearly  forty  years  (18^4- 
i8l)o)  the  Japanese  became  fairly  well  acquainted 
with  the  West.  Foreigners  were  no  longer  for 
them  an  immense  general  mass.  Differences 
began  to  be  recognized  between  the  politics  and 
the  spirit  of  the  nations.  Discrimination  also 
was  now  for  the  first  time  exercised.  In  truth 
the  feelings  of  the  people  towards  the  foreigner 
underwent  great  change.  From  the  first  estimate 
of  him  as  "  a  foreign  devil,"  acquaintance  and 
appreciation  brought  such  reaction  that  at  last  for 
a  few  years  he  was  counted  almost  a  god.  All 
foreigners  for  a  time  came  to  be  rated  as  wealthy 
and    wise  beyond  all  comparison,   so  at  least  I 


i! 


'■i 


t' 


32       The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 


i 


have  been  repeatedly  told  by  Japanese  with 
whom  1  have  discussed  those  times.  Much  ex- 
perience has  been  required  to  attain  a  discriminat- 
ing judgment  of  the  foreigner,  to  see  that  after 
all  he  is  mere  man  with  faults,  foibles,  and  vir- 
tues. Not  only  has  discrimination  of  nation  from 
nation  been  secured  with  increasing  knowledge 
of  the  diversities  of  spirit  and  purpose  and  inter- 
national policies  of  the  different  nations,  but  dis- 
crimination between  classes  and  groups  of  indi- 
viduals of  the  same  people  has  also  begun  to 
arise.  This,  however,  came  more  prominently 
into  national  consciousness  during  the  nineties 
and  will  accordingly  be  more  particularly  noted 
in  the  next  chapter. 


i 


;  III 


III 

THE  REACTION 

Much  to  the  surprise  of  both  foreigner  and  Jap- 
anese, there  swept  over  Japan  during  the  early 
nineties  a  powerful  reaction  against  things  and 
ways  foreign.  Care  must  be  taken  in  the  inter- 
pretation of  this  movement  to  understand  just 
what  it  was  and  what  it  signified.  A  prelimi- 
nary warning  should  make  clear  that  it  was  not 
such  an  extreme  reaction  as  to  jeopardize  the  real 
gains  of  twenty  years  of  progress.  There  was 
no  apparent  tendency  to  return  to  the  feudal 
order  of  society,  nor  to  desire  the  policy  of  ab- 
solute international  isolation. 

The  reaction  was  rather  against  the  unreasoning 
rush  alter  foreign  things  which  had  characterized 
the  eighties,— a  rush  which  threatened  to  swairp 
ail  that  was  good  and  beautiful  in  Old  Japan  and 
to  adopt  from  the  West  even  vulgar  things  and 
useless,  simply  because  they  were  western. 

No  sympathetic  student  of  Japanese  history  can 
fail  to  approve  in  the  main  the  tendencies  and  re- 
sults of  this  reaction  as  it  showed  itself  in  many 

33 


rv 


i!ta:t>lwr.nlSBt«il*«iBI*flHltm«i«>iiHTr'nKiJH-m-j 


34       The  Wliite  Peril  in  the  Far  Eubl 

ways.     There   was   a   new  app'-eciation  by  the 
Japanese  themselves  of  native  art,  clothing,  and 
customs.     In  local  politics  a  new  feeling  of  antip- 
athy  to  the    foreigner    was  widely  manifested. 
The  use  by  missionaries   of  passports  was  re- 
stricted, their  occupancy  of  relatively  hne  homes 
in  conspicuous  sites  was  criticised;  Japanese  who 
associated    with     foreigners    or    assisted    them 
especially  in  Christian  work  and  who  accepted 
the  legal  ownership  of  property  used  by  foreign- 
ers beyond  the  limits  of  the  featy  ports  were  ac- 
cused of  being  traitors  and  enemies  to  the  coun- 
try.    But  the  maniii  ■  tation  of  this  reaction  most 
conspicuous  to  the  missionary  was  the  changed 
interest  in  Christianity.     As  the  period  of  reaction 
progressed,  attendance  on  Christian  schools  not 
only  failed  to  increase  but  actually  fell  off  to  such 
an   extent   that   schools   ^^  h'    .   once   numbered 
hundreds,  were  reduced  to  scores.     "  Inquirers  " 
at  the  churches  diminished  and  additions  to  the 
churches   for   the  entire   period   of   tiie  nineties 
were  barely  sufficient  to  re^^lac.    defections  and 
death. 

Here  was  indeed  a  strikin;?  situ.ition.  Whereas 
in  iP  it  was  confidently  believed  that  the 
nation  would  be  Christian  by  the  end  of  the  cen- 
tury, when  that  time  arrived,  the  number  of  ac- 


The   Reaction 


35 


tive  church  members  was  no  greater  than  it  had 
been  ten  years  before. 

Now  in  a  general  way  this  astonishing  and 
w  holly  unexpected  issue  may  be  ascribed  to  the 
reaction.  But  -.vhat  produced  the  reaction  r"  No 
doubt  many  influences  were  at  work,  of  which 
the  following  were  probably  the  more  im- 
portant. 

birst  must  be  mentioned  the  large  conservative 
(.Icmcnt  of  the  nation  which  iiad  taken  no  active 
part  m  the  occidentali/ing  movements.     Instead 
It  had  watched  m  quiet.     The  liberal  element  by 
Its  aitivity  had  gained  the  attention  ol  the  nalk)n 
.iiui  the  world  and  it  was  thought  that  the  entire 
IH'Mplc   h.Ki    turned   to   western  ways.     When, 
however,  the  more  conservative  elements  saw  the 
vulgar,  uneslhetic  extremes  to  whuh  the  move- 
ment was  ti'iiding,  thev  criticised  and  opposed 
ihec'Xtremists  under  the  motto,  ■•  Koku/ui  Ho/on 
•Sfuiiii  '■     (the  Principle  of  Preserving  the  Marrow 
"(  the  Country);  they  proclaimed  the  value  aU'i 
iinp'»'tance   of    holding    fast  what  was  good  m 
thi'ir    own     past.     They    studied    thur   national 
civilization  with  keener   and  more  discriminating 
:itteniion,   hnding  much  m  customs,  clothin,^,  art 
Jiul  spirit  that  appealed  to  them  with  new  force, 
contrasting  it  all  as  ihev  did  with  western  inlto- 


I  ti 


■k 


Mi 


36       The  White  Peril  in  the  Fur  East 

ductions.  This  principle  of  preservation  they  pro- 
claimed aloud  in  tlie  name  of  patriotism,  brand- 
ing those  who  believed  otherwise  as  unpatriotic 
and  base  imitators  of  \  ulgar  aliens.  The  trumpet 
blast  for  loyalty  necessarily  drew  the  attention  of 
the  nation  and  checked  the  blind  rush.  The  con- 
servatives now  took  he  lead  in  shaping  public 
opinion  and  held  it  lor  several  years.  Di'ring 
this  period  reaction  was  felt  in  government,  in 
politics,  in  education  and  in  religion;  also  in  art, 
in  manners  and  in  clo  hing. 

But  there  were  ot  ler  important  contributing 
causes  for  this  reactioi. 

In  i«S7  then-  caint  to  Japan  various  "liberal" 
Lutheran  missionaries  from  Germany  and  Unita- 
rian missionaries  iroin  America.  The  latter, 
especially,  proclaimec  themselves  as  having  come 
to  confer  uith  jap.incse  co-religionists  rather  than 
to  prop, ig. lie  .1  new  faith.  Both  groups  of  mis- 
sionaries announced  at  once  tlieii  dissent  ln)m 
so-called  orthodox  Christianity.  They  advocated 
wh.it  h.is  been  teiiiie.l  the  higher  criticism  of  the 
Bible.  Having  no  icqu.iintance  with  the  l.m- 
guage,  thev  employtd  as  assistants,  young  men 
educated  by  orthodoK  missionaries.  These  trans- 
lated for  them  articles  .ind  books  expounding 
higher  critical  theories  and  libet.il  theology  and 


The  Reaction 


37 


the  translations  were  soon  distributed  to  all  the 
native  pastors  and  evangelists  in  the  land. 

The  results  can  be  easily  imagined.  Older 
missiona  •  had  attacked  the  evils  of  polytheistic 
and  idolatrous  native  religions  and  had  preached 
monotheism.  They  had  presented  the  usual 
views  then  current  in  England  and  America  as 
to  the  Bible,  its  authorship,  authority  and  inspi- 
ration. As  a  rule,  few  of  the  missionaries  who 
went  to  Japan,  even  as  late  as  1S85,  had  any 
particular  knowledge  of  or  b-lief  in  the  so-called 
higher  criticism.  They  represented  the  general 
theological  position  of  the  clergy  of  that  era  in 
America  and  Hngland.  It  was  inevitable,  there- 
fore, that  m  their  Christian  teaching,  the  critical 
views  should  have  found  no  place.  In  ynnnl  of 
tact,  the  duty  of  the  missionaries  was  not  to 
train  theologians  and  scholars,  but  to  raise  up 
Christians  and  Christian  workers;  and  to  this 
work  they  gave  themselves  heart  and  soul. 

Hut  it  was  natural  and  inevitable  thai  the  in- 
(juiring  Japanese  Christian  student  should  wish 
to  know  .ill  that  the  West  h.id  to  leach  about 
the  Mible  and  the  Chiisti.ui  leligion.  It  was 
most  natural,  therefore,  tli.it  the  recentiv  arrived 
liber.il  missionaries  should  g.im  listeners  .it  oiue 
and  It  was  the  most  natuial  thing  m  the  wot  Id 


'ji 


it 


'    h 


■ 


■M 


i 


38      The  White  Peril  in  tlw  Far  East 

that  young  men  who  had  been  radical  ei:  jgh 
to  break  with  their  n  religious  pa,;t  ond  to 
brave  persecution  ;  .he  sake  of  ChiistMnity, 
as  many  in  Japan  had  dune,  sh.ould  now  ilock 
to  these  new  teachers.  Moreover,  it  was  not 
strange  that  they  should  not  only  lii-.ten,  but  ;hat 
they  should  also  become  followers  wheT  they 
discovered  that  many  of  the  views  advanced 
were  hold  bv  the  most  highly  educated  preachers 
and  theological  instructors  in  Germany,  Hngland, 
and  America. 

It  was  an  inevitable  consequence  of  this  lib- 
eralistic   movement   among  the   Christians   and 
workers    in    Japan,    be.uun    at    the   end   of     he 
eighties  and  culminating  during  the  latter  part 
of   the  nineties,   that  there  should  at  this  time 
have    been    a    marked    chilling    of  evangelistic 
fervour  and  endeavour.     D„„bts  and  questions 
hlled   the   minds  of   the  workers.     Before  they 
could    believe  as   of   old   they  must    know  the 
meanings  and  the  bearings  of  the  new  thought. 
This    required    time,    attention,    and    stiength. 
Thus  an  element  of  weakness  was  sown  within 
the  church  itsdf.     Its  aggressive  power,  resting 
on  its  confidence  m  the  Hibk-,  the  cliuich,  and 
the  mission.irv,  h.id  been  sl-iken. 
I  ni.iv  s.iy  in   passing  ihat  some  few  pastors 


The  Reaction 


3y 


1 


went  over  to  the  Unitarian  and  German  i.^issions. 
A  few  others  swung  entirely  out  of  the  ranks  of 
Christian  workers.     A  few  Christians  gave  up  all 
religious  belief.     But  the  great  majority  of  the 
workers  held  fast  to  the  essentials  of  the  Chris- 
tian   faith,   and,    having    passed    through   their 
period    of   questionings   and    doubts,    they   are 
to-day  doing  aggressive  Christian  work.     This 
does   not   mean   that   they  have   necessarily  re- 
turned to  their  foinier  theological  positions,  but 
it  does  nu'an  that  they  have  learned  to  distin- 
guish between  theology  and  religion.    They  have 
learned  that  they  can  be  Christians,  in  vitid  rela- 
tions with  God  and  man,  and  still  leave  unsettled 
various  questions  of  science  and  biblical  history. 
Another  factor  of  great  importance  to  the  con- 
servative reaction  was  the  return  to  Japan,  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  eighties  and  early  nineties,  of 
that  large  number    .f  Japanese  who  had  previ- 
ously  gone   abroad    for    study.     They   brought 
back   reports  not  only  of  that  which  they  had 
studied   but   .ilso  u{   that  winch  they  had  seen 
and  experienced,  and  their  testimony  m  regard 
to  the  religious  and  moral  conditions  of  Chris- 
tendom   tujd    throughout   Japan   in    papers   ;;nd 
magazines  astonished  those  who  had  supposed 
that    Christian    lands    bordered    on    perfection. 


1 

>  f 


/t^ 


.0       The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 


111 

t 


lint 

P 

! 


They  told  of  the  hideous  forms  of  vice  and 
ncentiousness  rampant  in  our  largest  cities, 
New  Yoik,  Chicago,  London,  Paris,  and  BerUn. 
And  no  one  may  deny  th.it  the  shameless  immo- 
ralities to  be  found  in  these  cities  surpass  any- 
thing seen  in  Japan.  It  was  not  only  whispered 
but  often  publicly  stated  that  Christianity  is  a 
failure  in  th  West.  Why  adopt  it  for  Japan,  it 
was  argued.  Judging  by  results,  are  not  Bud- 
dhism .ind  Confucianism  bettor  than  Christianity  ? 


Look,"   said   such   critics. 


at   the   shameless 


sights  and  crimes  of  Christian  lands.  See  those 
unpunished  murderers;  watch  those  white  Chris- 
tians lynching  their  victims  or  burning  them  at 
the  Slake  in  vengeful  fury.  How  about  the  ille- 
gitim.ite  births  in  P.iris  and  Berlin  and  the  baby 
farms  whose  sole  purpose  is  to  exterminate 
superfluous  t)tfspring.  If  Christianity  c.innot 
cope  with  the  evils  of  Christendom,  it  is  not 
woith  importing  to  Japan." 

What  wonder  that  Jap.in  \\'as  'illcd  with  as- 
tDnishment  .''  I'or  'learlv  two  decides  she  had 
counted  the  West  her  model.  Christianity  had 
In'cii  pre. idled  .is  the  perfect  'eligion  in  securing 
foi  its  people  the  highest  blessings  of  civiliza- 
tuin.  "It  these  lejiorts  .lie  true,  then  surely," 
s.iid  thev.  "we  h.ive  no  need  to  become  Chris- 


The  Reaction 


4» 


tian. 


We  are    as   well   otf  with   our  own  re- 


ligions. 


This  reacuonary  factor  came  from  Christendom 
itself  and  had  great  influence  in  checking  the 
stream  of  thoughtful  inquirers.  Many  intelligent 
people  influenced  by  the  attitude  of  japan's  lead- 
ing men  had  come  to  look  with  favour  on  Christian 
propagandism  and  they  were  themselves  ready  to 
give  the  Christian  preacher  and  the  missionary  a 
frank  and  friendly  hearing  should  opportunity 
)tTor.  But  these  damaging  reports  as  to  real 
conditions  coming  with  convincing  force  and 
increasing  frequency  turned  such  men  aside  and 
gradually  stopped  the  stream  of  those  who  were 
turning  towards  Christianity. 

The  testimony  of  students  returning  from  the 
West  went  even  further.  "Not  only  is  Chris- 
tianity a  practical  failure  in  Christendom,"  they 
added,  "but  it  is  rejected  by  the  more  highly 
educated,  in  their  own  lands.  New  views  of 
science  in  regard  to  the  age  of  the  world,  the 
origin  of  species  and  particularly  the  evolution 
of  man  fiom  an  ..nima;  ancestry  have  made  con- 
tinued belief  in  the  Bible  impossible.  All  men 
educated  in  modern  science  accept  biological 
evolution  and  reject  Christianity." 
1  he  leader  whose  memory  reaches  back  to  the 


^.'k 


I 


i 


42      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

seventies  and  the  early  eighties  will  remember 
that  those  were  the  days  of  fierce  discussion  be- 
tween the  advocates  and  opponents  of  the  then 
newly  propounded  theories  of  Parwin.     Many  ;i 
worthy  theologian    maintained    that   the    Bible 
account  of  creation  proved  evolution  impossible. 
With    equal    dogmatism    did   many   a  scientist 
attack  the  Bible  and  Christianity  as  in  conflict 
with    evolution.      The    tendency    among    the 
students  in  our  colleges  and  universities  of  that 
time  was  certainly  to  accept  evolution  even  at 
the  cost  of  religion.     And  it  was  the  opinion  of 
many  contemporary  writers  that  a  death-blow 
had  been  dealt  to  Christianity  by  the  theory  of 
evolution,     it  is  therefore  by  no  means  surpris- 
ing   that    students    returning    to    Japan   should 
have  reported  as  they  did.     Furthermore,  that 
report   was    in    accord   with   the   utterances   of 
English  and  German  professors  in  the  Imperial 
University    at    Tokyo,    for    these    men    taught 
thoroughgoing,  materialistic  evolution. 

Still  further,  as  time  went  on,  it  become  clear 
that  few  (if  the  missionaries  accepted  the  new 
evolutionarv  views.  They  agreed  with  the  pro- 
fessors at  the  University  and  in  the  higher  schools 
of  learning  throughout  the  country  that  evolution 
and  Genesis  arc  irreconcilable,  so  that  an  evolu- 


li 


I 


The  Reaction 


43 


tionist  cannot  be  a  Christian  and  a  Cliristian  can- 
not be  an  evolutionist.     In  proportion,  therefore, 
as    modern    scientitk    thought    gained    ground 
among  Japan's  educated  men  did  it  become  im- 
possible for  them  to  accept  Christianity.     This 
reactionary  factor  did  not  have  such  wide-spread 
influence  among  the  people  at  large  as  among 
the  student  class,  but  it  strongly  effected  the  in- 
tellectual leaders  of  the  nation,  a  matter  of  special 
significance  in  the  Orient.     If  it  were  true  that 
evolution  and  Christianity  are  mutually  exclusive, 
and  that  all  who  give  careful  study  to  zoology 
must  necessarily  give  up  Christianity,  there  can 
be  no  question  but  that  Christianity  would  be- 
come the  religion  of  the  uneducated.     Such  was 
the  belief  promulgated  in  Japan.     What  wonder 
then  that  those  gifted,  intellectual  leaders  of  Jap- 
anese thought  who  were  well  headod  towards 
Christianity  should  have  received  a  violent  shock  ? 
"  If  Christianity  is  being  rejected  in  Christendom 
by  the  educated,  because  intellectually  inconsist- 
ent with  the  most  approved  science,  surely  we 
do  not  wish  it  to  become  the  religion  of  Japan. 
We  must  have  science.     Religion,  we  now  see, 
is  all  superstition,  Christianity  no  less  than  Bud- 
dhism  and  Shinloism."     Thus  they  argued  and 
not  without  force. 


■'1 


m 

m 


M 


44       The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

Yet  another  factor  checking  the  rush  into  the 
Christian  Church  was  the  demand  of  Christian 
ethics.  Without  detailed  knowledge  of  Chris- 
tianity many  eminent  men  had  been  advocating 
its  wide  adoption.  But  when  they  came  into 
close  contact  with  it,  and  learned  its  specific 
requirements,  many  drew  back.  When  they 
discovered  that  to  be  a  Christian  and  to  become 
a  member  of  the  church  meant  the  giving  up  of 
concubinage;  abstinence  from  intoxicants,  from 
carousals  at  tea-houses  and  brothels,  that  it 
involved  truth  telling  and  purity  in  per;.  ...!  life 
with  active  participation  in  the  support  and 
propagation  of  tiie  new  faith,  many  hesitated 
before  taking  the  radical  step.  Thev  had  sup- 
posed that  Christianity  like  their  own  religion 
was  carried  on  by  its  missionaries  and  pastors, 
leaving  the  layman  free  to  do  pretty  much  as  he 
liked.  That  a  religious  brotherhood  should  keep 
strict  watch  over  the  moral  conduct  of  its  mem- 
bers was  a  new  idea  to  those  who  had  so  v.'idely 
advocated  tiie  national  adoption  (jf  (lliristianity. 
As  alreaJv  statt-d.  the  moti.e  for  such  advocacy 
was  the  national  and  political  benefits  which  they 
supposed  it  would  bring.  When  however  they 
came  into  piactical  contact  with  the  (^Ihristian 
organi/atioii,  many  found  themselves  unwilling 


The  Reaction 


45 


to  modify  their  hves,  or  submit  to  what  seemed 

to  them  to  be  tiie  rigid  and  unnatural  restraints 

of  Christian  ethics.     By  the  end  of  the  eighties 

the  leaders  had  discovered  this  ethical  demand 

of  Christianity,  and  with  the  discovery,  its  wide 

advocacy  by  those  wholly  outside  the  Christian 

ranks  ceased.     This  then  was  another  powerful 

factor  checking  the  rapid  numerical  growth  of 

the  church.     The  number  of  Christian  advocates 

fell  from  hundreds,   even  thousands,   to  a  few 

scores,    and    the    sudden    stoppage    of    such   a 

chorus   of  advocacy  naturally  had  its   effect  in 

checking  the  stream  of  young  men  and  women 

which    had    been    pouring    into    the    Christian 

schools  and  churches. 

Among  the  factors  checking  the  growth  of 
Christianity  in  Japan  was  one  rather  diflicult  for 
occidental  Christians  to  appreciate.  1  refer  to  the 
metaphysics  and  dogma  usually  considered  es- 
sential elements  of  Christianity.  Such  a  highly 
speculative  dogma  as  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity 
gave  pause  to  thoughtful  Japanese.  The  doc- 
trines  of  election,  the  atonement,  the  deity  of 
Christ,  verbal  inspiration  of  the  Bible,  the  na- 
ture of  the  future  life,  many  indeed  of  the  dis- 
tinctively theological  doctrines  of  historic  and 
also  of  current  Christianity  gave  serious-minded 


!   y 


1  ' 


•■!; 


P 

lilt 

w 


w^ 


46      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

students  much  difficulty  both  in  understanding 
and  in  accepting.  Many  a  man  who  had  been 
profoundly  attracted  by  the  personality  of  Jesus 
and  by  the  strong  ethical  emphasis  of  Christianity 
was  later  repelled  as  he  came  to  know  more 
definitely  the  history  of  the  church  with  its  wars 
over  creeds  and  its  persecution  of  those  holding 
different  religious  opinions,  and  particularly  so  as 
he  came  to  examine  the  history  and  the  meaning 
of  specifically  theological  doctrines.  Many  ear- 
nest students  did  not  feel  themselves  able  to  accept 
much  that  they  found  in  the  historic  creeds 
of  Christendom.  Occidental  metaphysics  with 
Greek,  Latin  and  Teutonic  theology  was  alien  to 
their  modes  of  thought.  We  of  the  West  who 
have  been  trained  from  youth  in  these  matters 
can  little  appreciate  the  problems  and  difficulties 
encountered  by  them.  The  importance  of  this 
factor  lay  not  so  much  in  the  number  of  those 
who  directly  felt  these  ditTiculties  as  in  the  fact 
that  they  who  would  naturally  have  become 
leaders  in  the  Christian  movement  were  impeILd 
to  become  its  cities.  Christian  propaganda  in 
Japan  lost  many  an  able  advocate  because  of  its 
occidental  metaphysics  and  scholastic  theology. 
A  factor  in  thf  situation  that  has  received 
scant    attention    from   western   thinkers   is   the 


^ 


The  Reaction 


47 


diplomatic    relatioHo    of    Japan    with    western 
lands.     The  Japanese  for  twenty  years  had  been 
exceedingly  restive  under  the  galling  extra-terri- 
torial clauses  of  the  treaties.     Beginning  in  the 
early  seventies,  the  authorities  set  themselves  in 
earnest  to  qualify  for  a  recognition  by  the  West 
as  a  civilized  people  fully  competent  to  admin- 
ister  impartial    justice.     For  over  fifteen   years 
missionaries  had  been  given  an  absolutely  free 
hand.     Privileges  of  travel  and  residence  in  all 
parts  of  the  land  had  been  allowed  to  them  as  to 
none  others.     The  people  had  been  not  only  per- 
:nitted   but  almost   urged  to  study  Christianity 
and  to  accept  it.     Even  the  formal  adoption  of 
Christianity    as    the    State    Religion    had    been 
seriously  discussed  by  responsible  thinkers.     As 
a  result,  the  prospects  of  Christianity  were  so 
bright    by    the    close    of    the    eighties  that   all 
students  of  current  matters  believed  Japan  would 
be  a  Christian  nation  ere  the  close  of  the  century. 
Having  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  affected  such 
radical  transformation  in  her  governmental  meth- 
ods and  ruling  ideas,  Japan  not  unnaturally  felt 
that    she    should    now    receive    recognition    of 
equality  from  western  governments.     Western 
writers  had  praised  her  reforms  and  her  progress 
without    stint.     Missionaries    had    nothing    but 


■  i 


1   i 


48      Th'^  White  Peril  in  tht  Far  East 

good  to  say  of  her  people  and  administration 
and  were  ready  to  accept  abolition  of  the  extra- 
territorial clauses.  When  therefore  the  Japanese 
foreign  office  began  to  agitate  afresh  for  treaty 
revision,  and  discovered  that  in  spite  of  all  she 
had  done  western  nations  still  doubted  her 
ability  and  still  made  demands  which  would 
have  been  an  insult  if  made  of  each  other,  it  is 
not  strange  that  leading  Japanese  began  to  ques- 
tion the  motives  of  those  nations.  It  is  not 
strange  that  they  became  incensed  and  in- 
dignant. 

A  single  illustration  will  indicate  the  temper  of 
the  times.  Count  Okuma.  then  minister  for 
Foreign  Affairs,  negotiated  revised  treaties 
whereby  the  extra-territorial  clauses  were  re- 
moved, and  in  place  of  the  Consular  Courts, 
provision  was  made  that  foreign  judges  should 
for  a  number  of  years  sit  with  Japanese  judges  in 
every  case  involving  a  foreigner.  When  this 
proposed  arrangement  becann-  known  (i«8g),  the 
nation  was  tilled  with  indignation.  An  attempt 
to  assassinate  the  minister  w.is  made  by  which 
however  he  lost  only  his  leg.  Miit  m  view  of  the 
national  temper,  the  -overnment  v\ithdiow  the 
proposed  treaty  and  let  the  m.itter  drojv  It  was 
evident   th..t   the   nauori   would   accept    nothing 


The  Reaction 


49 


short  of  full  authority  in  her  own  land  and  this 
the  West  was  not  willing  to  grant. 

Again  in  1892  Japan  made  effort  to  secure 
recognition  on  .'  basis  of  equality.  Baron 
Kaneko  has  told  of  the  chagrin  he  felt  over  the 
rebuffs  received  at  the  conference  of  diplomats  in 
Geneva.  He  could  not  understand  why  the 
West  declined  to  grant  what  Japan  so  earnestly 
asked.  It  had  been  a  mystery  for  some  time  and 
it  now  became  a  "heart-rending  mystery."  but 
was  suddenly  solved  by  the  remark  of  a  well- 
known  European  publicist  to  the  eifect  that  com- 
plete Japanese  sovereignty  was  feared  by  the 
West  as  a  possible  loss  to  its  own  interests  in 
Asia.  In  a  word,  Jap.m  discovered  that  Euro- 
pean diplom.kv  was  not  based  on  nnin,  but  on 
private  interests  and  especially  on  might.  Japan 
had  expected  to  secure  her  rights  from  Europe 
by  qualifying  for  them.  She  discovered  in  the 
early  nineties  that  Europe  had  no  interest  in  her 
rights  and  would  not  respect  them  until  forced  to 
do  so  by  Japan's  might. 

I  his  then  was  another  factor  working  power- 
fully against  the  pro-western  rush  of  Japanese 
feeling.  It  helped  to  call  .1  halt  and  to  bring  to 
the  front  that  outburst  of  anti-foteign  s<>ntiment 
which    characleri^ied    the    early    nineties.      mII 


'■  I 


i^t 


li 


50      The  W!iite  Peril  i.   the  Far  East 

foreigners  were  susoected  and  hated.  A  re- 
newed sense  of  the  reality  of  the  white  peril 
arose,  a  feeling  that  had  been  slowly  passing 
away.  It  led  not  only  to  cessation  of  interest  in 
Christianity  but  also  to  a  marked  check  in  the 
study  of  foreign  languages.  Even  the  mission- 
aries were  hated  and  suspected  as  they  had  not 
been  for  five  years.  1.  led  to  political  action.  A 
law  was  proposed  by  one  of  the  political  parties 
requiring  confiscation  of  all  property  held  in  the 
name  of  Japanese  for  mission  work  and  for  the 
homes  of  missionaries.  If  passed,  this  would 
have  involved  all  property  outside  of  the  six 
treaty  ports,  many  hjndreds  of  thousands  of 
dollars  having  been  usud  for  such  purposes  in  all 
parts  of  the  land  and  with  full  government 
knowledge. 

In  regard  to  the  refusal  of  western  diplomacy 
to  grant  Japan's  repeated  request  for  revision  of 
treaties  on  a  basis  of  equality,  a  word  more 
seems  desirable.  It  is  loubtless  true  that  selfish 
interests  did  largely  control  the  counsels  of  Chris- 
tendom in  that  matter,  but  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  the  civil  cocts  of  Japan  were  then 
only  in  process  of  compilation.  They  were  not 
adopted  as  \>'.c  laws  o*^  the  land  until  i8»)8. 
Baron  Kaneko,  therefore   hardly  does  justice  to 


The  Reaction 


5» 


European  diplomats  in  believing  so  readily  what 
was  said  by  that  "  well-known  publicist  "  whom 
he  refrains  from  naming.     It  must  not  be  for- 
gotten that  not  until  1876  was  torture  abolished 
in  Japan  and  that  the  entire  legal  procedure  of  the 
country  was  in  process  of  reconstruction  at  the 
very  time  when  they  asked  for  full  juridical  con- 
trol of  aliens  in  their  ports.     They  wished  full 
sovereignty,  but  were  not  willing  to  grant  free 
travel    or  residence  or   rights   of  trade  and   of 
property    ownership    throughout   their   land   to 
members  of  alien  races,  rights  which  they  them- 
selves were  allowed  in  foreign  lands.     They  still 
cherished  their  early  plans  of  confining  foreigners 
in  general  to  treaty  ports,  allowing  only  certain 
-specified  individuals  to  receive  special  passports 
from  the  home  otiice  to  go  into  the  interior  for  a 
few  stated  reasons,  with  a  definite  route  of  travel 
and  for  strictly  limited  periods  of  time. 

These  considerations  are  sufficient  to  show 
that  western  diplomats  had  some  rational  and 
reas()nal)le  ground  for  their  hesitancy  in  yielding 
lo  Japanese  requests.  Rut  it  was  doubtless  ex- 
ceedingly difficult  tor  the  Japanese  themselves  to 
appreciate  these  western  views.  They  had  done 
so  much  in  the  line  of  westernization  that  it  nat- 
ur.illy   seemed  to  them  as  if   mere  obstinate  sel- 


i 


SI 

!■ 


-  H 


5^ 


The  White  Peril  in  the  Fur  East 


i 


fishness  and  utter  disregard  of  the  rights  of  Japan 
characterized  the  conduct  of  the  West.  Japan's 
position  was  not  unnatural,  neither  was  her  par- 
oxysm of  anti-foreign  feeling  surprising;  and  it  is 
a  tribute  to  the  wisdom  of  her  leaders  that  this 
feeling  did  not  find  expression  in  more  vigorous 
anti-foreign  demonstrations. 

The  reaction  described  in  this  chapter  did  not 
coincide  exactly  with  that  of  the  ninth  decade. 
Its  first  mutterings  began  to  be  heard  in  the  later 
eighties,  its  maximum  intensity  was  reached  in 
the  early  nineties  and  it  gradually  subsided,  with 
several  set-backs,  only  to\\ards  the  close  of  the 
decade.  The  causes  of  the  rise  of  renewed  cor- 
diality towards  the  West  will  be  considered  in 
the  next  chapter.  Here  we  must  note  several 
events  which  served  to  check  the  return  of  those 
feelings,  events  which  have  left  a  permanent  in- 
fluence on  Japan's  attitude  towards  the  white 
race. 

I'irst  and  foremost  was  the  m.itcrial  injury, 
lessened  j^estige  in  the  Orient,  and  national  in- 
sult suffered  at  the  hands  of  Russia,  (iermany 
and  l-raiue  when  thcv  virtually  compelled  Japan 
at  the  close  of  'he  China-Japanese  war,  in  18^4-=,, 
to  return  lu  China  the  l.iastung  Peninsula  and 
Poit  Aithur.     I'.vents  have  proved  that  the  reason 


III 


The  Reaction 


53 


assigned  by  those  powers,  "  The  peace  of  the  Far 
East,"  was  by   no   means  the  motive  inspiring 
their    demand.     That    motive  was  rather  their 
common  desire  to  deprive  Japan  of  her  natural 
position  of  leadership  in  those  regions,  a  leader- 
ship which  they  fell  to  he  inimical  to  their  own 
plans  of  expansion.    So  keenly  did  Japan  feel  the 
affront,  that  the  government  was  compelled  to 
muzzle  the  native  pi  ss,  forbidding  all  reference 
to  that  disgraceful  and  nationally  calamitous  af- 
fair.    It   is   said   that   one   hundred  otticers  and 
men  of  her  victorious  army  committed  suicide  ac- 
cording to  the  old  time  Warrior's  O^de,  prefer- 
ring death  to  ignoble  life  under  irreparable  insult. 
The  sting  of  this  insult  offered  bv  Russia,  Ger- 
many  and   France  was   still  further  felt  by  the 
Japanese  when  events  brought  to  light  the  real 
purpose    of    those    aggressive    white    nations. 
They  had  required  Japan  to  return  Port  Arthur  to 
China.     Yit  within  three  years  China  had  passed 
it   over  to   Russia,   while   Germany   had   seized 
Kiaochao,  thus  completely  eliminating  Japan's  in- 
fluence in    Chin.i   and    wi-akening   it   in   Korea. 
Fvents    thus   gave   the  complete  lie  to  thi^  siip- 
posably  .iltruistic  and  humane  n-ciuest  ot  those 
I'uropean  nations  which  had  dreamed  dreams  of 
Oriental  tmpiie,  when  "m  tlie  interests  of  the 


I 


1 


54      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 


I  i 


peace  of  the  Far  East,"  they  had  asked  Japan  "to 
return  Fort  Arthur  to  China." 

After  the  close  of  the  China-Japanese  war  and 
particularly  after  the  Boxer  troubles,  French  and 
German  but  especially  Russian  diplomacy  and  in- 
trigues with  China  and  Korea,  served  as  a  con- 
stant source  of  indignation  to  the  Japanese. 
Fortunately,  Japan  has  learned  to  distinguish  be- 
tween nations,  so  that  the  sins  of  Russia  and 
Germany  and  France  are  not  now  visited  in 
Japanese  thought  upon  the  entire  white  race. 

In  this  connection  mention  should  be  made  of" 
the  shallow  and  often  false  reports  and  criticisms 
made  by  "  globetrotters  "  and  professional  news- 
paper reporters  concerning  the  deeds  and  mis- 
deeds of  Japan.  Particularly  offensive  were  cer- 
tain newspaper  criticisms  of  the  China-Japanese 
war.  In  later  years  Japan  has  become  less  sensi- 
tive to  unjust  criticism  hav'ng  learned  that  after  all 
the  critic  is  to  be  pitied  rather  than  the  criticised. 

The  main   factors,   then,   combining  to  create 
the  reactionary  movement  of  the  nineties  were: 

1.  The    preservation    of   all  gooil,  even  I  hough 

ancient,  customs  of  the  country,  with  a 
revulsion  against  much  that  had  come  liom 
the  West. 

2.  The     weakening     of     the     native    churches 

through     doubts  aiu!   questions   raised   by 


I 


The  Reaction 


S5 


b. 
7- 

8. 


Q. 


so-called    higher    criticisms    and    liberal 
theology. 

Reports  from  the  West  as  to  the  failure  of 
Christianity  to  conquer  the  evils  of  Chris- 
tendom. 

The  reported  rejection  of  Christianity  by  the 
more  highly  educated  classes  of  the  West. 

The  high  ethical  demand  of  Christianity  in 
the  daily  life  of  professed  Christians. 

Metaphysical  and  theological  difficulties. 

The  unwillingness  of  western  diplomats  to 
grant  Japan's  request  for  treaty  revision. 

The  treacherous  schemes  of  Russia,  Ger- 
many, and  France  in  the  Far  East  with 
their  corresponding  treatment  of  Japan. 

And  finally,  unjust  criticism  by  incompetent 
observers. 


Reviewing  these  factors  of  the  reactionary 
movement,  what  wonder  that  the  great  popu- 
larity of  western  things  and  ways  and  religion, 
the  predominant  characteristic  of  the  eighties — 
met  a  serious  check  during  the  nineties  ? 

In  view  of  the  facts,  the  wonder  is  not  only 
that  the  churches  and  their  work  stood  the  strain 
as  well  as  they  did,  but  that  the  newly  constructed 
westernized  political  structure  did  not  go  entirely 
to  pieces.  The  surprise  is  not  that  there  was  a 
check  in  Christian  work,  but  that  there  was  so 
little  defection,  that  the  Christian  cause  did  not 
sutTer  a  Waterloo,  that  occidental  modes  of 
thiuight.   nf   education,   of    government,  and  of 


ii 


n 


'  ! 


I 

.» (I 


Hi 


|:i      h 


56      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

jurisprudence,  which  had  come  in  so  precipitately 
were  not  largely  rejected  under  the  impulse  of 
this  renewed  antipathy  to  the  white  man. 

There  are  those  who  view  the  period  of  the 
reaction  as  one  of  great  disaster  to  the  kingdom 
of  God  in  Japan.  Especially  do  they  consider 
the  entrance  of  the  Unitarian  and  German 
missions,  with  their  higher  criticism  and  liberal 
theology,  as  the  work  of  the  evil  one.  Yet  this 
view  misses  the  vision  of  God's  hand  and  His 
providence  in  it  all.  It  was  as  necessary  to  the 
healthy  development  of  the  Japanese  churches 
and  their  Christian  life  that  they  should  know 
the  problems  and  difliculties  of  faith  and  come  to 
their  religious  life  and  build  up  their  religious 
experience  and  their  creeds  in  the  light  of  the 
best  scholarship  of  the  thinking  world,  as  it  is 
that  we  ourselves  should  be  thus  developed. 
Any  religious  body  content  with  past  knowledge 
and  shutting  out  new  light  is  doomed.  If  we 
wish  robust  Christianity  in  J;ipari  we  must  treat 
Japanese  Christians  as  men  and  not  as  babes. 
We  must  not  be  afraid  to  let  them  know  of  the 
progress  of  thought,  for  surely  they  will  be 
guided  and  strengthened  as  we  have  been, 

Contrary  to  the  notion  that  the  period  of  the 
nineties  was  a  calamity  to  the  Church  and  the 


The  Reaction 


57 


nation,  and  a  hindrance  to  the  growth  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  in  Japan,  my  tiiought  is  that 
but  for  this  check  in  its  Christian  work,  the 
churches  would    have    been   swamped  by   the 
attenuated  Christianity  of  people  who   brought 
with  them  into  the  organization  many  of  their 
heathen    superstitions    and    customs.     Had  the 
growth  gone  on  unhindered  for  a  score  of  years, 
increasing    to   a   membership  of  two   or  three 
millions,    Christians    in    England    and   America 
would  doubtless  have  rejoiced  over  a  nation  born 
in  a  day,  but  the  church  itself  would  have  been 
weakened  through  incorporated  heathenism.     It 
would  have  shared  the  fate  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church   when    Constantine  the  Great  accepted 
Christianity   and    brought  unconverted   millions 
into  formal  connection  with  the  Christian  Church. 
Suppose    for    a    moment    that    it    had    been 
possible  to   hold  the  Japanese  in  ignorance  of 
the  real  conditions  of  life  and  belief  in  the  West 
for  twenty  or  thirty  years  longer  and  that,  as  a 
consequence,  the  Christian  work  had  gone  on  as 
was   prophesied   in   the  eighties.     What  would 
have   resulted  when   enlightenment   did  arrive? 
There  would  have  been  no  escape  from  such  a 
crash  to  Christian  faith  and  life  in  Japan  as  would 
have  appalled  the  world. 


■1 


1 

i 

>3 

1 

1 

58      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

Japan,  yes,  and  the  world  too,  needs  primamy, 
not  an   immense  Christian   organization,  but  a 
true  one,  a  church  of  men  and  women  who  have 
the  vision  of  Christ  and  who  propose  to  carry 
His  spirit  into  the  market,  the  school,  and  the 
home.     This  vital  religion  Japan  was  in  danger  of 
missing  by  her  blind  utilitarian  rush  into  Chris- 
tianity  in   the   eighties   and   this   she   has   been 
securing  during  the  time  of  her  sifting  in  the 
nineties.     While  the    converts  of    the   eighties 
very  largely  fell  away  during  the  nineties,  those 
who    had   come   into  the  churches   during  the 
earlier  time  of  storm  and  stress  of  the  seventies 
as  a   rule   retained  their  hold  when   difficulties 
again  arose.     They  have  been  sifted  and  found 
not  wanting.     They  are  not  wholly  ignorant  of 
the  modern  intellectual  problems,  higher  critical, 
and  others,  but  they  came  into  the  Christian  life 
through  an  experience  of  vital  religion,  which  has 
been  deepened  by  trial  and  temptation.     With 
true    Christians    in    every   land    they   can    say, 
"  None  of  these  things  move  me.     1  know  whom 
I  have  believed."     This  more  vital  religious  ex- 
perience would  hardlv  have  been   possible  had 
the  conditions  of  popularity  of  the  eighties  long 
continued. 


« I 


I 


IV 
THE  PERIOD  OF  DISCRIMINATION 

Japan's  second  anti-foreign  fever  was  relatively 
of  short  duration,  and  the  causes  which  brought 
it  to  an  end  are  as  interesting  and  instructive  as 
those  which  caused  it. 

The  chief  characteristic  of  this  period  is  dis- 
crimination exercised  in  all  directions.  She  de- 
cides that  things  are  neither  good  nor  bad. 
Nothing  is  bad  merely  because  it  is  foreign, 
neither  is  it  for  that  reason  good.  Politics,  cus- 
toms, religion,  ethics,  even  the  foreign  nations 
themselves  are  now  studied  with  discrimination. 
The  result  is  an  attitude  neither  of  hasty  favour 
and  adoption,  nor  of  unreasoning  fear  and  rejec- 
tion. This  shows  the  advance  of  Japan  from 
youth  to  maturity.  The  present  chapter  draws 
attention  to  the  more  important  factors  which 
have  led  to  this  discriminating  temper  of  mind. 

In  the  article  already  <.  ted,  Baron  Kaneko  plainly 
intimates  that  Japan's  war  with  China  was  waged 
primarily  from  a  desire  to  show  western  govern- 
ments  her   military  power.     This  purpose  may 

59 


i,»'j 


6o       The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 


have  been  in  the  minds  of  certain  Japanese,  but  it 
seems  entirely  improbable  that  the  Emperor  and 
his  immediate  councillors  were  i:j  reality  moved 
by  any  such  consideration.     In  any  case,  how- 
ever, it  is  certain  that  Japans  brilliant  v  jtories 
commanded   the   recognition  not  previously  ac- 
corded her  by  western  nations.     They  discovered 
in  her  a  power  which  compelled  a  new  rating  of 
Japan  among  the  nations.     She  soon  seized  by 
the  horns  the  knotty  problem  of  treaty  revision, 
instead,  however  of  dealing  as  heretofore  with  the 
nations  en  masse,  she  negotiated  with  each  one 
separately.     Th.^  United  States  had  signified  her 
readiness  for  this  move  but  circumstances  made 
it  wise  to  deal  first  with  England.     In  due  season 
(1896)   the   public   was   notified  that  Japan  had 
carried    her    point.     She   had   secured  a  treaty 
granting    con-pM.'    autonomy;    national  sover- 
eignty  had   been   regained    without  humiliating 
concessions. 

Similar  tre.-ties  were  now  negotiated  with  each 
of  the  nations  separately,  and  a  day  was  set 
(iSqS)  when  the  hateful  extra-territorial  treaties 
should  De  abolished.  The  victories  of  tne  China- 
Japanese  war  gave  the  entire  people  a  sense  of 
power  and  dignity.  They  became  less  restive 
under  criticism,  for  they  now  realized  then  ability 


i; . 


'ihe  Period  of  Discrimination        61 

to  stand  side  by  side  with  the  white  races.     The 
white  peril  was  becoming  less  perilous  to  them. 

in   the  meantime  civil  codes  were  pushed  to 
completion  and  authorized  by  Imperial  and  par- 
liamentary sanctions.     The  study  of  these  codes 
helped  to  give  foreigners  confidence  in  the  pur- 
pose and  the  power  of  the  government  to  treat 
the  alien   justly.     Expressions   of  good-will  by 
foreigners  received  response  from  the  Japanese. 
When  therefore  the  day  arrived  for  the  abroga- 
tion of  the  old  and  for  the  promulgation  of  new 
treaties,   all   were  anxious  that  nothing  should 
mar  the  mutual  satisfaction  of  the  contracting 
parties.     Singularly  enough,  however,  on  the  day 
following  the  enforcement  of  the  treaties  a  white 
man  committed  a  murder.     This,  therefore,  'vas 
the  first  case  in  which  a  Japanese  judge  was  to 
try  a  foreigner,  a  portentous  event.     But  sc^  well 
was  the  case  handled  that,  from  first  to  last,  the 
Japanese  judiciary  inspired  confidence  among  the 
foreign  population. 

With  the  abolition  of  old  treaties  and  enforce- 
ment of  the  new,  dislinctively  anti-foreign  feehng 
began  to  pass  away.  This  was  natural  since  the 
new  treaties  allowed  free  travel  to  foreigners 
with  rights  of  trade,  of  residence,  and  on  the  ful- 
fillment of  certain  legal  conditions  of  land  owner- 


I 


2  \ 


.1 


62       The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

ship.     For  years  my  home  has  been  in  the  inte- 
rior of  Japan   and   I   can  testify  to  the  steadily 
changing  sentiment;  so  complete  has  been  this 
cl.ange   that   during  the  past   five  years  I  have 
oaen  been  the  recipient  of  expressions  of  good 
will  from  those  who  ha\e  known  nothing  more 
of  me  than  that  I  am  an  American  citizen.     From 
the  earhest  renewal  of  foreign  intercourse  Japa- 
nese  sentiment   towards   the   United  States  has 
been    peculiarly    pleasant.     Nevertheless   during 
the  anti-foreign   fever  of  the  early  nineties  all 
western  nations  were  regarded  as  a  unit.     If  dis- 
tinctions were  made,  they  were  in  favour  of  the 
United   States;   jealous   patriots,   however,   were 
inclined  to  make  no  distinction  whatever. 

Politically,  then,  blind  u  ^reasoning  and  undis- 
criminating  anti-foreign  feeling  was  practically 
ended  by  the  close  of  the  century.  This  did  not, 
however,  signify  a  return  to  the  pro-foreign  fever 
of  the  eighties.  During  a  derade  of  more  or  less 
ill  will  towards  western  peoples,  official  japan 
had  nevertheless  continued  I  r  national  recon- 
struction on  western  models.  Her  educational 
svstem  had  made  prodigious  progress  in  extent, 
equipment  and  efficiency.  Her  national  repre- 
sentative government  had  been  rapidly  making 
history   while  with   the  payments  of  the  Chinese 


The  Period  of  Discrimination        63 

indemnity,  Japan  had  entered  the  world-race  for 
military  and  naval  supremacy.  Over-sea  com- 
merce had  been  stimulated  by  government  boun- 
ties. Banks,  factories  and  railroads  had  been  or- 
ganized and  pushed  with  energy  and  of  necessity 
their  various  enterprises  had  adopted  occidental 
methods,  though  maintaining  at  the  same  time  a 
spirit  of  more  or  less  ill  will  towards  the  West 
with  a  settled  determination  to  preserve  the 
"  marrow  of  the  country." 

Better  treatment  by  the  West  combined  with 
continued  acquaintance,  commerical,  educational, 
and  political,  also  with  the  testimony  of  return- 
ing students  led  to  the  discovery  that  in  every 
land  there  are  differences  in  the  induct  of  in- 
dividuals. At  the  same  time  the  varied  experi- 
ences !  '  to  ever  dearer  discrimination  between 
ditTerent  nations  with  th^.r  different  policies,  be- 
tween ditTerent  classes  of  people  within  each 
nation  and  between  religious  sects  and  their 
methods. 

This  led  by  degrees  to  a  revision  of  that  anti- 
foreign  feeling  which  had  been  so  largely  undis- 
criminating.  Unjust  to  'he  alien,  it  was  reckoned 
now  as  harmful  to  those  who  held  it,  preventing 
acquisition  of  useful  methods  and  ideas. 

The  rise  of  this  new  feeling     1  cordiality  did 


t 


64      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 


not,  however,  show  any  tendency  to  repeat  the 
blind  rush  for  western  imitation  which  had  so 
strikingly  characterized  the  eighties.  In  those 
wondrous  years  every  lad,  fancy,  fashion  and 
folly  of  Christendom  met  its  welcome.  Then 
came  the  reaction;  and  now,  with  the  revival 
of  cordiality,  Japan  found  herself  more  mature, 
better  balanced,  and  less  liable  to  those  earlier 
extremes  of  conduct  which  had  amused  foreign 
spectators  and  disgusted  conservative  patriots. 
The  new  period  is  accordingly  less  picturesque 
than  the  former.  But  for  that  reason  it  is  of 
deeper  interest  to  him  whose  eyes  are  on  the 
vital  problems  which  confront  Japan. 

In  the  Boxer  troubles  of  China,  Japan  found 
opportunity  for  the  exercise  of  her  military 
ability,  her  diplomatic  skill  and  her  courtesy. 
Western  recognition  of  these  qualities  followed 
at  once,  and  the  expression  of  this  approval  like- 
wise contributed  to  Japan's  changed  attitude 
towards  the  West.  .She  was  at  last  able,  more- 
over, to  measure  directly  her  military  equipment 
and  the  discipline  of  her  forces  by  the  standards 
of  western  powers,  and  in  this  measuring  she 
disi.overed  her  own  equ.ility,  and  realized  th  • 
these  directions  she  had  little  more  to  learn  irom 
others.     She  also  realized  that,  in  some  respects 


The  Period  of  Discrimination        65 


she  had  already  outstripped  her  western  in- 
structors. This  discovery  made  known  at  once 
throughout  the  Empire,  served  to  quiet  national 
unrest  concerning  the  long-dreaded  white  peril. 
Japan  was  sure  that  in  case  of  conflict  with  the 
white  man.  she  had  at  least  an  even  chance. 
This  conviction  made  it  the  more  easy  for  her  to 
ignore  captious  criticism  and  the  more  ready  to 
recognize  western  excellence. 

With  the  advance  of  Russian  aggression  in 
Manchuria  there  was  danger  that  Japan  would 
again  be  thrown  into  anti-foreign  agitation,  but 
announcement  of  the  Anglo-Japanese  Agreement 
in  1902  dispelled  that  danger  and  evoked  the 
enthusiasm  of  the  people.  At  last  they  were 
recognized  as  equals  by  a  leading  nation  of  the 
world.  This  fact  has  done  more  than  can  easily 
be  stated  to  break  down  in  Japan  all  remaming 
antipathy  to  the  white  race  as  such.  It  has  mate- 
rially assisted  international  discrimination.  It  has 
persuaded  the  n.ition  that  the  solidarity  of  the 
white  peoples  has  been  broken,  and  that,  there- 
fore, for  themselves  at  least,  the  white  peril  is  a 
thing  of  the  past.  The  importance  to  Japan  of 
the  Anglo-Japanese  agreement  does  not  lie  pri- 
marily in  its  great  political  value  to  the  nation 
during  the   present   sfri'ggle  with    Russia,   great 


m 


I 


66      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

though  that  is;  but  rather  in  the  genuine  spirit 
of  good-will  for  the  white  race  which  has  been 
aroused,  a  spirit  thus  rendering  practically  out  of 
the  question  for  the  future  any  yellow  peril  led 
by  Japan.  Those  who  dread  the  peril,  and  harp 
upon  it,  little  appreciate  Japan's  new  altitude 
luwards  America  and  tngland.  Though  for 
special  reasons  the  United  States  has  not  as  yet 
entered  into  militaiy  and  naval  alliance  with 
Japan,  still  her  desires  for  that  land  are  fully 
recognized  and  highly  appreciated  by  the  people, 
to  the  mutual  advantage  of  both  countries. 

Parallel  with  the  subsidence  of  political  anti- 
foreign  sentiment  was  a  like  subsidence  of  anti- 
Christian  fee'.ing.  The  nation  has  manifestly 
Liitered  on  a  period  of  reviving  interest  in  the 
Christian  religion.  Many  inlli  nces  have  neces- 
sarily contributed  to  the  new  attitude.  Inter- 
national relations  have  not  been  the  least  of 
these.  Nevertheless,  within  the  nation  itself, 
one  of  the  most  potent  causes  leading  to  the 
rising  tendency  towards  Christianity  has  been 
the  ethical  failure  of  popular  eduiation.  Uni- 
versal education  has  been  pushed  to  a  lel.itively 
high  degree  of  ^nccess;  and  although  elhics  havi 
been  systematically  taught  in  the  schools,  relig- 
ious mstruct'on  ha: ,  of  course,  been  excluded. 


The   Ptriod  ot  Discrimination        67 

Evt'ti  in  tlic  eighties  it  was  discovered  that  the 
lesult  of  such  education  was  to  destroy  belief  in 
national  gods  and  to  supply  no  substitute  as  the 
ground  fi>i  moral  authority.  This  was  counted 
a  calamity,  and  in  iSi)o  an  Imperial  Hdict  on 
Education  was  promulgated  with  the  hope  that 
the  need  might  be  met.  The  purpose  of  this 
edict  was  to  inspire  a  spirit  of  awe  and  rever- 
ence in  connection  with  moral  instruction,  it 
has  iin  doubt  served  somewhat  in  this  respect 
luit  iMt  enough  to  save  the  responsible  leaders 
and  educators  of  the  country  from  keenest  dis- 
.ippointment.  riom  the  middle  nineties  and 
onwaid,  ll  "v  have  increasingly  realized  that  occi- 
dental scientilic  education  destroys  old  beliefs 
and  with  them  the  (,)ld  ethical  foundations  pro- 
viding no  substitute.  To-day  on  every  side  one 
may  hear  lament  over  the  degeneration  of  young 
men.  a  sad  result  of  modern  education.  Indeed, 
lew  doubt  that  the  older  Hushido  tr.iining  pro- 
duced .1  vitility  and  manhood  unattainable  by  the 
present  occidentali/ed  education. 

In  100:;  the  principal  of  an  import. int  middle 
School,  a  iM.idiiate  of  the  linperi.il  University  .ind 
it  man  who  has  maile  ethics  his  specialty,  told 
me  th.it  It  is  e.isv  enough  to  teach  the  history  ol 
ethics,  also   ethics  as  a  sysluii  ol   thought,  but 


t' 


1)1 


'H 


68       The  While  l\'iil  in  the  Fur  East 

that  it  IS  iinpossihk-  to  teach  ethics  that  shall  in- 
fluence lives,  wiihoLit  grounding  morality  in 
religion.  This,  however,  the  laws  forbid.  How, 
indeed,  L.in  a  teacher  by  ineie  instruction,  in- 
tluence  his  pupils  to  be  truthful,  pure,  and 
temperate,  while  he  himself  is  known  to  be  un- 
truthful, impure,  and  intemperate.''  Every  gov- 
ernment school  in  tiie  land  provides  lights  and 
receplicles  lor  tobacco  ashes  at  the  private  desk 
of  every  teacher,  while  at  the  same  time,  the 
law  forbids  all  smoking  by  pupils,  a  law  care- 
fully taught  by  these  same  smoking  teachers. 
My  friend,  the  teacher  of  ethics,  added  that 
occidental  science  and  education  have  largely  des- 
troyed belief  in  Orit-ntal  religions.  He  also  in- 
sisted that  the  onh'  recourse  now  is  to  teach 
occidental  religion  to  balance  occidental  education 
and  science.  Thus  he  argued,  though  not  himself 
a  Christian. 

A  further  factor  in  the  situation  is  the  more 
discriminating  ti'slimony  of  Japanese  students 
and  visitors  to  tht-  West  regarding  the  moral  and 
religious  conditions  of  these  lands.  To  many 
such  it  li.is  become  mcreasinglv  clear  tliat  the 
onlv  forces  in  (ihristendom  which  successfully 
contend  .igainst  social,  iuiiustrial  and  other 
evils,  spring  from  the  i.hrisii.in  religion.     These 


The  Period  of  Discrimination 


69 


students  and  travellers  report  that  the  social, 
Industrial,  intellectual,  and  racial  conditions  of 
Christendom  are  far  more  complex  and  pro- 
portionately more  difficult  than  those  in  Japan: 
but  that  while  there  may  be  greater  evils  in 
Christendom  than  in  Japan  there  is  also  a  higher 
standard  of  public  and  private  morality.  The 
good  is  better  and  more  aggressive,  even  as  the 
bad  is  worse  and  more  blatant.  W  .e  it  not  for 
Christianity  they  say  Christendom  would  soon 
perish  through  its  own  corruption. 

Such  discriminating  testimony  has  led  to  a 
higher  estimate  of  the  intrinsic  worth  and  nature 
of  Christianity  than  was  held  in  the  early 
nineties.  The  fate  of  certain  personally  and 
politically  corrupt  politicians  who  have  been 
rejected  by  their  constituencies  in  America  and 
England  has  been  to  Japan  a  revelation  of  Chris- 
tian standards,  and  of  the  methods  of  their 
enforcement  in  the  West.  Were  the  same 
standards  of  morality  enforced  in  Japan  as  in 
America  and  Hnglaiid,  vaiious  of  Japan's  most 
eminent  statesn:en,  politicians  and  educators 
would  long  since  have  been  retired.  Further- 
more, additional  investigation  is  showing  that  the 
reported  rejection  o(  (Christianity  bv  educated 
men    in    the    West    is    aw    I'xaggeialion;     that 


!,M 


<   I 


70      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

genuine  Christianity  instead  of  waning  seems 
rather  to  be  gaining  in  force;  that  materialism  is 
practically  overthrown  in  our  universities  and 
colleges;  that  the  theory  of  evolution  has,  in- 
deed, become  widely  accepted  but  that  this  has 
not  necessitated  the  rejection  of  Christianity,  but 
has  merely  resulted  in  the  revision  of  certain 
traditional  beliefs.  It  is  increasingly  evident  to 
these  investigators  that  never  before  were  the 
Christian  spirit  and  the  Christian  life  so  strongly 
entrenched  among  instructors  and  pupils  in 
American  and  English  schools  and  colleges. 
They  see  that  even  in  Germany  the  extreme 
rationalistic  movement  leading  into  blank  ma- 
terialism has  spent  its  force  and  that  Christianity 
in  a  purilied  form  freed  from  many  of  the  accre- 
tions of  centuries  of  ignorance  is  gaining  a  new 
hold  on  the  intellect  and  heart  of  the  best  life  of 
the  West.  "It  is,  therefore,  worth  our  while," 
they  conclude,  "to  examine  Christianity  and 
see  if  it  may  not  have  value  for  Japan."  Such  is 
the  tendency  of  thought  and  argument  finding 
favour  to-day  in  many  quaiters  of  the  country. 

Similar'y  in  regard  to  the  so-called  higher 
criticism.  Wn  a  time  discussions  and  duuhts 
regarding  the  history,  authorship,  and  autht)tity 
of  the  Bible  oci  upied  the  .ittention  of  the  native 


The  Period  of  Discrimination        71 


ministers,  largely  paralyzing  their  efforts.  Of 
late,  however,  little  is  heard  on  these  topics. 
They  are  felt  to  be  not  vital.  Preaching  has  be- 
come positive  and  aggressive.  Truth  and  right- 
eousness, social  reform  and  personal  religion, 
have  become  the  leading  themes  of  sermons  and 
lectures.  This  positive  preaching  attracts  and 
holds  attention,  drawing  adherents  into  the 
churches  and  giving  thoughtful  men  further  food 
for  thought. 

During  the  anti-foreign  era  although  the  church 
barely  held  its  own  numerically,  and  although 
many  members  became  lukewarm,  while  others 
gave  up  faith  in  Christ  and  abandoned  the  Chris- 
tian life  altogether,  the  ethical  standards  of  the 
church  as  a  whole  were  not  materially  lowered. 
Business  integrity  and  family  morality  were 
maintained.  Benevolence  was  widely  practiced. 
Orphan  asylums  multiplied  and  were  imitated  by 
the  Buddhists.  Leper  hospitals,  reform  homes, 
temperance  societies  and  many  kindred  institu- 
tions proved  to  observant  Japanese  that  in  the 
Christian  community  was  to  be  found  an  ethical 
vitality  which  did  not  exist  elsewhere. 

In  iSqS  1  formed  the  acquaintance  of  a  Bud- 
dhist priest  wh(t  was  also  a  professor  in  the 
Buddhist   school   (University    it   was  called)  on 


T\ 


72      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

Mount  Hiyei.     In  talking  freely  to  each  other  on 
matters  religious,  he  stated  his  conviction  that 
while   Christian   philosophy   is  weak,   Christian 
ethics  are  superior  in  substance  and  in  practice  to 
those  of  Buddhism.     A  physician  in  the  bigoted 
Buddhist  town   of    Marugame   made  the  same 
assertion.     He  professed  to  be  an  earnest  Bud- 
dhist himself  but  added,  "  1  sent  my  daughter  to 
T    .yo  to  study  and  live  in  a  Christian  family  so 
that    she   might  become  a  Christian."    I   have 
known  this  physician  for  seven  years  and  he  still 
holds  this  original  position.     An  intimate  friend 
of  mine,  another  physician,  in  Matsuyama  took 
pains  to  tell  me  on  the  occasion  of  his  first  call 
(in  1899)  which,  by  the  way,  lasted  from  7  i'.  m, 
until  1  A.  M.— that  while  he  himself  was  a  Bud- 
dhist he  recognized  the  fact  that  Buddhism  was 
virtually  dead  in  Japan;   Christian  morality  had 
won  the  day;   Japan  was  sure  to  become  Chris- 
tian at  no  distant  time.     Shortly  before  leaving 
Matsuyama,  in  August.  1904,  the  young  men  of 
our  University  Extension  Society  held  a  farewell 
reception  for  me.     Although  somewhat  out  of 
place,    my    physician    friend    was   present  and 
asked  permission  to  speak.     In  substance  he  re- 
peated what  he  had  said  to  me  five  years  before. 
Addressing  the  young  men,  he  said,  "I  am  too 


The  Period  of  Discrimination 


73 


old  to  change,  but  you  should  improve  every 
opportunity  to  study  Christianity  and  to  accept 
it;  for  Japan  must  become  a  Christian  land." 

It  is  a  fact  that  even  now  the  ethical  standards 
of  life  proclaimed  and  lived  by  Christians  are  so 
widely  known  by  the  community  at  large  that 
more  is  expcc'-'d  of  a  man  who  confesses  him- 
self Christian,  than  from  one  who  does  not  do  so. 
No  Christian,  for  example,  is  supposed  to  drink, 
to  frequent  tea-houses  or  brothels,  or  to  patron- 
ize geisha  (dancing  or  singing  girls).  Should  a 
young  man  do  these  things,  the  community 
would  not  suspect  him  of  being  a  Christian. 
Should  it  become  known  that  he  who  did  these 
things  had  been  a  Christian,  ho  would  be  popu- 
larly esteemed  a  backslider  and  rated  lower  than 
the  man  who  had  never  professed  Christianity, 
though  such  a  one  miofht  lead  the  same  life. 
Two  years  .igo  a  bank  in  Osaka  .  Jvertised  for 
six  clerks  specifying  certain  qualifications. 
Among  these  w  ,s  ie  to  the  effect  that  appli- 
cants must  be  Christ  in.  This  may  seem 
strange,  but  the  reason  is  clear.  Of  all  the 
young  men  in  Japan,  only  Christians  make  it  an 
avowed  principle  to  be  absolutely  temperate  and 
pure.  Wine  and  women  have  always  been  in 
lapan  as  in  other  lands  the  young  man's  sorest 


i' 


if 


N.I 


m 


k 


!^ 


'ill 


74      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

temptations.  He  who  is,  on  religious  principle, 
averse  to  both  forms  of  self  '  dulgence  is,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  the  more  ,•  'orthy  and  the 
better  fitted  for  important  f'  il  responsibility. 

Illustrations  of  the  relatively  .iigh  ethical  stand- 
ards set  by  the  Christian  community  might  be 
multiplied  indefinitely.     Let  the  foregoing  suffice. 
During  that  period  of  storm  and  stress  through- 
out the  nineties,  when  Christian  work  in  Japan 
was  reported  to  the  West  as  a  failure,  the  actual 
life  of  Christians,  both  foreign  and  native,  was 
proving  to  thoughtful  Japanese  that  Christianity 
has  a  vitality  and  an  ethical  power  greatly  needed 
by  the  nation.     Contrasted  sharply  with  Chris- 
tian living  was  the  corrupt  life  of  the  leaders  of 
Buddhism.     Report  after  report  swept  the  land 
during  that  period— the  nineties— describing  the 
colossal  financial  corruption  connected  with  the 
building  of  the  Higashi  Hongwanji  in  Kyoto,  a 
head  temple— cathedral— of  Buddhism.     Minute 
descriptions  were  given  of  degraded  and  some- 
times disgusting   superstitions  made  use  of  by 
Buddhist  priests  in  raising  funds  for  the  liquida- 
tion  of  the  debts.     Chief  priests   were   openly 
charged  with  maintaining  numberless  concubines 
and    with    living    in   wanton   luxury   and   lust. 
Never  having  examined  these  stories,  I  do  not 


The  Period  of  Discrimination        75 

here  assert  their  truth.  But  1  know  that  they 
were  widely  reported  and  generally  believed. 

Still  further,  the  almost  open  bribery  of  legis- 
lators became  universally  known  and  widely  dis- 
cussed. One  bribe-taker  went  so  far  as  io 
proclaim  h  the  Diet  that  he  had  been  bribea  and 
to  demand  his  payment.  The  nation  looked  on 
with  an  apparent  helplessness  that  was  astonish- 
ing. In  such  ways  havj  the  ethical  failure  of 
non-Christian  faiths  and  the  relatively  high 
ethical  success  of  the  Christian  community  be- 
come increasingly  clear  to  the  responsible  leaders 
of  Japanese  life. 

In  the  fall  of  1902  there  was  discovered  a 
widely  practiced  scheme  of  bribery  in  connection 
with  text-books  used  in  public  schools.  The 
government  attacked  the  problem  with  vigour 
and  before  the  mi'ter  was  ended,  over  a  hun- 
dred eminent  men,  principals,  professors,  gover- 
nors, vice-governors,  and  others  in  similar  posi- 
tions of  trust,  were  convicted  and  imprisoned. 
It  was  noted  that  among  this  number  not  one 
was  a  Christian.  Thoughtful  men  were  thus 
gradually  brought  to  realize  the  serious  gravity  of 
the  situation.  They  looked  for  the  source  of 
this  moral  weakness  and  asked  how  it  was  to  be 
met. 


t  4 

m 

Hi 


76      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

The    growing    immorality   of    students    and 
teachers  has  become  a  source  of  increasing  anx- 
iety to  thoughtful  men.     "Sowing  wild  oats "  is 
the  common   thing  to   do.     The  principal  of  a 
large  normal  school  said,  not  long  ago,  that  he 
"not  only  patronized  houses  of  ill-fame  himself, 
hut  that  he  advis.J  all  his  teachers  to  do  so,  and 
that  he  even  gave  them  tickets,  so  that  at  the  end 
of  each  month  all  the  bills  would  be  sent  to  him 
for  payment  and  deducted  from  their  salaries." 
Obscene  story-teller^,  dancing  girls,  low  theatres, 
and   houses   where  vice   is   cheap  and   "safe" 
abound  in  every  large  city.     Such  facts  as  these 
have  also  served  to  set  thoughtful  men  to  ponder- 
ing the  moral  situation. 

Still  further  drawing  attention  towards  Chris- 
tianity   was    the    Union    Forward    Evangelistic 
Movement.     This  was  pushed  with  vigour  by 
churches  and  missionaries  throughout  the  land. 
It   was   the  initial  undertaking  of  the  twentieth 
century.      Not    only    were    special   evangelistic 
meetings    held    in    churches  and   theatres,    but 
Christians  walked  through  the  streets  in  proc.s- 
sions   wiih   lanterns,  b.mners    and  flags,      'hey 
sang  and  preached  on  street  corners  and   jrged 
the   people   to  come  and  hear  the  Good  N:'ws. 
The  widely  extended,  long  continued  and  united 


The   Period  ot  Discrimination 


77 


activity  of  a  religious  body  previously  supposed 
to  consist  of  unrelated  and  more  or  less  antago- 
nistic sects,  of  a  body  already  by  many  counted 
moribund,  was  a  notable  phenomenon.  This 
Taikyo  Dendo  (Great  Teaching  Propagation 
Movement):  as  it  was  called,  arrested  the  atten- 
tion of  multitudes  and  helped  to  turn  them  afresh 
towards  Christianity. 

As  an  aid  to  the  movement  was  the  coming  to 
Japan  of  such  men  as  Mr.  John  R.  Mott  and  Drs. 
Terry,  Pentacost  and  Hall.  While  each  visitor 
produced  his  own  immediate  impression  and 
while  any  immediate  effect  may  be  easily  exag- 
gerated, still  the  whole  served  to  lead  Japan's 
thinking  men  to  more  f-  vourable  thoughts  of 
Christianity,  and  to  the  .ecognition  of  it  as  an 
active,  vital,  religious  force. 

To-day  we  are,  accordingly,  at  the  beginning 
of  a  new  period  of  interest  in  things  Christian. 
The  antipathy  to  foreign  men  and  movements  is, 
as  we  have  seen,  largely  gone.  Multitudes  of 
the  responsible  men  of  Japan  are  looking  with  a 
certain  degree  of  interest  and  perhaps  even  with 
sympathy  towards  Christianity.  Their  revived 
interest  is  not  due  to  the  benelits  which  Chris- 
tianity is  thought  to  confer  in  directions  of  ma- 
terial civilization,  political  advantage  or  interna- 


in 


78       The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

tional  equality,  but  rather  to  the  intrinsic  nature 
of  Christianity  as  a  rehgion  capable  of  providing 
strong  foundations  for  moral  life.     Japan  begins 
to  see  that  in  Christianity  men  get  into  vital  rela- 
tion   with    spiritual   realities;   that   somehow   it 
grips  a  man  and  makes  him  better  in  his  individ- 
ual character,   and  in   his  social  relations;  more 
pure,  more  responsible,  more  faithful  and  more 
trustworthy.     Such  is  the  dominant  characteristic 
of  Japan's  new  interest  in  Christianity,  and  it  is  a 
hopeful  sign.     !t  will  draw  to  the  churches  the 
morally   earnest.     I  do  nol  anticipate   any   such 
headlong  rush  into  the  Christian  Church  during  the 
coming  period  as  took  place  during  the  eighties. 
Church  members  will  increase  in  numbers  slowly, 
but   such   growth    is   to   be   desired,  for  it  will 
prove  to  be  more  healthful,  more  hopeful  and 
more  peiinanent. 

The  generalization  made  in  the  preceding  pages 
as  to  the  characteristic  of  this  new  period,  will 
be  more  atlequatelv  rcall/ed  by  the  reader  if  I 
present  some  (]uotations  and  describe  some  per- 
sonal experieiues. 

During  the  eK-Jitics  Marquis  Ito,  Japan's  most 
illustrious  statesman,  who  receivt  I  from  Yale  mi 
U102  the  Doctorate  of  laws,  said:--"  I  rcgaid  re- 
ligion itself  as  quite  unnecessary  (or  a  nation's 


:m 


The  Period  o*'  Discrimination        79 

life;  science  is  far  above  superstition;  and  what 
is  religion— Bucidhism  or  Christianity— but  super- 
stition and  therefore  a  possible  source  of  weak- 
nes:  to  a  nation  ?  I  do  not  regret  the  tendency 
to  free  thought  or  atheism  which  is  almost  uni- 
versal in  Japan,  because  1  do  not  regard  it  as  a 
source  of  danger  to  the  community." 

Late  in  the  nineties  a  Christian  young  man 
whom  I  have  known  intimately  for  years  was 
sent  as  a  reporter  for  one  of  the  large  Osaka  daily 
papers  to  interview  the  Marquis  on  some  im- 
portant economic  problems.  After  the  interview 
was  over,  tu.ning  to  the  young  man,  Marquis  Ito 
asked  where  he  was  educated.  On  receiving  the 
answer,  "  At  the  Doshisha  •  (the  Christian  Univer- 
sity founded  by  Drs.  Joseph  Neesima  and  J.  I). 
iJavis).  he  said:— -"The  only  true  civilization  is 
that  which  rests  on  Christian  principles.  As 
Japan  must  gain  her  civilization  on  these  princi- 
ples, those  young  men  who  receive  Christian 
education  will  be  the  main  factors  in  the  develop- 
ment of  future  Japan."  The  signilicance  of  this 
Mttei.ince  rises  in  p.ut  from  its  contrast  to  his 
own  previous  statement  but  in  greater  part  from 
the  fact  that  in  important  respects,  the  personal 
life  of  the  m.in  who  tnade  it  is  far  from  ideal. 

Baron  M.ivejim.i  h.is  recentiv  said:—"  I  firmly 


8o      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

believe  we  must  have  religion  as  the  basis  of  uur 
national  and  personal  welfare.     No  matter  how 
large  an  army  or  navy  we  may  have,  unless  we 
have  righteousness  at  the  foundation  of  our  na- 
tional existence,  we  shall  (ull  short  of  the  highest 
success.     1  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  we  must 
rely  upon  religion  for  oi.:  highest  welfare.     And 
when  I  look  about  me  to  see  what  religion  we 
may  best  rely  on.  I  am  convinced  that  the  religio- 
of  Christ  is  the  one  most   full  of  strength  and 
promise  for  the  individual  and  for  the  nation." 
These  surely  are  remarkable  words  for  one  who 
was  reared  a  Budddist  and  a  Confucianist.  and 
who  has  held  high  rank  in  the  government. 

In  December  of  kk.^.  after  a  thirty  hour  s    !  on 
a  small  inland  steamer.    I   landed   at  Imabaii  in 
Shikoku.     Immediately  after  supper  I  was  taken 
off  to  speak  at  the  theatre  meeting  for  which  ar- 
rangements had  been  made.     I  found  that  I  uas 
to  be  the  last  of  four  speakers.     Snow  was  fall- 
ing and  a  cold  wind  blew  through  that  barn-like 
building.     Some    ?oo   men   and    a   few  women 
were  seated  on  the  floor.     Being  cold  and  tired 
and  seeing  the  array  of  talent  advertis.-d  I  tried  to 
excuse  myself.     The  pasto-  of  the  church,  Mr. 
Tsuyumu  (a  better  man  and  a  more  dev  .Med  pas- 
tor  never   walked   the   earth)  declined  to  listen 


Thf   Period  of  Discrimination        8 1 


to  my  appeal.  The  previous  night,  said  he. 
u  Buddhist  priest  had  lectured  in  a  temple  nearby 
and  had  urged  his  people  to  study  Christianity. 
It  seems  that  he  had  been  sent  by  his  sect  to  study 
in  Yale.  Insufficient  funds  had,  ho>"ever,  forced 
him  to  seek  work  as  a  iomestic.  And  in  the 
Chiistian  family  where  he  served,  he  found  living 
religi'in  in  their  daily  family  worship,  and  observ- 
ance if  the  Sabbath.  The  spirit  of  the  family 
together  with  ^ther  experiences  in  the  United 
Stat"s  had  deeply  impressed  him.  As  a  result,  on 
returning  to  Japan  he  had  told  his  people,  as  on 
the  previous  night,  that  Buddhism  was  dead. 
"Christianity,  said  he,  "is  the  living  religion 
to-day  and  I  advise  you  to  study  it  when  you 
have  opportunity." 

Two  or  three  days  later  I  preached  in  Marugame 
and  strangely  enough  under  remarkably  similar 
circumstances.  The  night  before  a  Buddhist  lec- 
turer from  Tokyo.  Priest  Wada  I  was  told,  had 
addressed  a  Buddhist  audience  and  in  the  course 
of  his  address  had  said.  "  It  makes  no  ditTerence 
what  is  the  name  of  the  religion  we  believe. 
I  he  i  nportant  thing  s  to  have  religious  truth  and 
real  religious  life.  This  you  will  not  find  in 
Buddhism  to-day.  We  h.ive  tine  clothes  and 
ceremoni.ils    an^l  organization,   but  not  religious 


■| 


tl 


ti, 


82       The  White  PeHl  in  the  Far  East 


!i 


vitality.  That  you  will  find  in  Christianity."  1 
was  told  that  this  speech  much  incensed  his 
audience  who  were  ardent  Buddhists.  They 
charged  him  with  propagating  Christianity. 
Marugame  is  the  only  town  in  Japan  where  I 
have  been  unable  to  carry  through  my  sermon;  a 
Buddhist  crowd  completely  broke  up  one  of  our 
preaching  services. 

In  the  summer  of  1902,  Professor  Murakami, 
perhaps  the  most  eminent  Buddhist  scholar  and 
lecturer  in  Japan,  made  a  tour  of  Shikoku  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  local  temples  lecturing  on  Buddhism. 
On  account  of  engagements  i  did  not  have  the 
pleasure  of  hearing  him.  But  the  universal  re- 
port given  me  in  the  towns  he  visited  was  that 
he  was  really  introducing  Christianity  rather  than 
expounding  and  defending  Buddhism. 

Mr.  Miyagawa,  one  of  our  most  eminent  pas- 
tors and  eloquent  preachers,  told  n\c  in  Novem- 
ber, iQo?.  that  Professor  Murakami's  work  on 
Buddhism  was  virtually  a  comparative  study  of 
Buddhism  and  Christianity.  It  was  evident  to 
Mr.  Miyagawa  that  Professor  Murakami  not  only 
understands  Christianity  thoroughly  but  also 
practically  accepts  it.  though  of  course  he  makes 
no  proclamation  of  that  fact. 
Viscount  Watanabe,  statesman  and  Buddhist. 


The  Period  of  Discrimination        83 

in  an  interesting  magazine  article,  warns  Chris- 
tians against  the  idea  that  Christianity  must  be 
uiodified    to    suit    the    Japanese   temperament. 
"One  reason  for  the  deterioration  of  Buddhism 
has  been  its  modification  to  suit  Japanese  ideas. 
I  do  not  say  that  Biddhism  is  not  a  religion;  but 
when  I  ask  myself  how  many  modern  Buddhists 
there  are  that  have  religious  life,  I  answer.  None." 
The  reader  is  not  to  take  too  literally  the  state- 
ments made  concerning  the  death  of  Buddhism. 
They  are  extreme.     Indeed  it  seems  to  me  that 
Buddhism   has  more  real  vitality  to-day  than  it 
had  lifty  years  ago.     Not  only  has  contact  with 
Christianity  stimulated  it  by  conflict  but  also  by 
giving  to  it  new  religious  ideals  and  methods. 
The   battle   between   Christianity   and   Japanese 
Buddhism  is  iust  beginning  rather  than  just  end- 
ing.    Nevertheless,  many  Japanese  feel  that  pure 
Buddhism  is  dead,  and  that  the  Buddhism  which 
to-day  has  life  is  a  superstitious  amalgam  of  cor- 
rupt Buddhism  and  polytheistic  Shintoism. 

Harly  in  1000  many  were  asking  what,  in  view 
<>1  the  degenerate  times.  J.ipanese  young  men 
should  read.  Baron  Kikuchi,  then  Minister  of 
Education,  answering  this  question,  .md  feeling 
the  pressing  character  of  the  practical  ethical 
problems  of  the  times  said,  m  a  magazine  article, 


i 


.''1 


W 


11 


I, 


84      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

that  there  were  two  books  he  would  recommend 
to  all  young  men  as  having  the  highest  value,  the 
Japanese  New  Testament  and  Smiles'  ' '  Self  Help  " 
(.translated  into  Japanese).  The  significance  of 
this  recommendation  is  the  more  marked  as  it 
came  from  the  Mmister  of  Education. 

Doctor  Nitobe,  the  gifted  author  of  that  beauti- 
ful idealistic  desciiption  of  the  Hthics  of  Old 
Japan  entitled  '•  Bushido  "  (the  Way  of  the  War- 
rior), lamenting  the  passing  of  that  system  says: 
"Now  its  days  are  closing,  sad  to  say,  before  its 
full  fruition,  and  we  turn  in  every  direction  for 
other  sources  of  sweetness  and  light,  of  strength 
and  comfort,  but  among  them  there  is  as  yet 
nothing  found  to  take  its  place.  The  pro(it-and- 
loss  philosophy  of  Utilitarians  and  Materialists 
finds  favour  among  logic  choppers  with  half  a 
soul.  The  only  other  ethical  system  which  is 
powerful  enough  to  cope  with  Utilitarianism  and 
iVlaterialism  is  Christianity.  But  as  yet  it  has  not 
divested  itself  of  its  foreign  accoutrements." 

One  man  •  inds  preeminent  among  Japan's 
great  statesmen  for  his  sterling  manhood  and 
powerful  intluence,  alike  m  politics,  education 
and  commerce;  moreover  his  personal  character 
i..  above  reproach.  Addressing  a  body  of  Chris- 
tians he  is  reported  to  h.(ve  said:—"  It  is  a  ques- 


rilHMM 


The  Period  of  Discriniination        85 

tion  whether  as  a  people  we  have  not  lost  moral 
fibre  as  a  result  of  the  many  new  influences  to 
which  we  have  been  subjected.     Development 
has  been  intellectual  and  not  moral.     The  efforts 
which    Christians  are  making  to  supply  to  the 
country  a  high  standard  of  conduct  are  welcomed 
by  all  right  thinking  people.     As  you  read  your 
Bible  you  may  think  it  is  antiquated.     The  words 
It  contains  may  appear  so,   but  however  much 
the  world  may  progress  the  noble  life  which  it 
holds   up  to  admiration  is  something  that  will 
never  be  out  of  date.     Live  and  preach  this  life, 
and  you  will  supply  to  the  nation  just  what  it 
needs  at  the  present  juncture." 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Kumiai  churches, 
November,    1904,    whose    membership   exceeds 
ij.ooo,  and  whose  self-supporting  cnurches  num- 
ber nearly  twoscore,   the  sermon,   preached  by 
the  Rev.  Mr.  '.Cozaki.  was  devoted  to  a  statement 
of  tne  signs  of  the  new  period.     Among  many 
other   items  of  interist   and   importance  he  in- 
stanced the  frequency  with  which  the  higher  in- 
stitutions of  learning  ire  opening  their  large  halls 
to  our  Christian  pastors  for  direct  addresses  on 
Christianity,   an    impossiblity   even    five  or  six 
years  ago.     In  November,    icjoi,  I  myself  gave  a 
course  of  three  lectures  on  Evolution  and  Religion 


f 


if^- 

'i: 
I 

I 


J 


vvf^v- 


86      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 


!■¥'■--..'  t         ) 


before  the  Teachers'  Association  of  Kochi,  and  it 
was  attended  by  from  300  to  400  teachers  and 
gentlemen  of  the  city.     At  that  tune  I  was  also 
asked  to  speak  to  over  1,000  young  men  from  the 
two  upper  classes  of  the  several  higher  schools 
of  that  place,  all  recitations  bemg  suspended  for 
the  purpose  of  allowing  attendance.      The  stu- 
dents with  their  teachers  marched  in  companies 
to  the  assembly  hall  from  the  different  school- 
houses   of  the  city.     The   following   day   I  ad- 
dressed  a   similar  group   of   over    i,ooo  young 
women  from  the  gii  s'  schools  in  the  same  city. 
Examples   like   these   are  fairly  common  to-day 
although  they  were  unheard  of  six  or  seven  years 
ago. 

Whoever  considers  the  facts  presented  in  this 
chapter  can  hardly  fail  to  acknowledge  that  Japan 
is  fairly  launched  on  a  period  of  changed  attitude 
towards  all  things  foreign.  This  will  become  in- 
creasingly evident  as  we  study  the  war  and  what 
it  has  already  accomplished  in  developing  national 
sentiment  and  purpose. 


IS  JAPAN  ORIENTAL  OR  OCCIDENTAL? 
JAPANESE  TREATMENT  OF  RUSSIAN  PRIS- 
ONERS 

In  geogr:iphicai  position  and  inherited  civiliza- 
tion Japan  is  unquestionably  oriental.     The  real 
question,  therefore,  is  how  far  occidental  modes 
of  life  and  thought  have  a.,  a  matter  of  fact  mod- 
ified Japan's  older  life  and  ways  of  thinking.     The 
answer  given  to  this  question  is  usually  settled 
by  a  priori  considerations.     It  asserts  that  a  na- 
tion's inner  life  cannot  change  materially  in  any 
brief    period;    that,    therefore,    however   Japan 
may  have   adopted  occidental  methods  of  gov- 
ernment, education,  offensive  and  defensive  war- 
fare, commerce,  industry,  etc.,  all  these  things 
are  as  superlirial,  as  the  clothes  a  man  wears; 
they  have  not  modified  the  life  of  the  spirit,  the 
inner   thought  and  feeling  of  the  people.     This 
general  topic  is  discussed  at  some  length  in  my 
"Evolution  of  the  Japanese."     Here,  therefore,  I 
shall  merely  give  facts  connected  with  the  Russo- 
Japanese  war  which  throw  additional  light  on  the 
subject, 

87 


i^\ 


I  ■ 


MICROCOPY    RESOIUTION     TEST    CHART 

ANSI  und  ISO  TEST  CHART  No    2 


i.O 

lii      28          2.5 

lis 

r-     |11             2.2 

,.,  i ,-.             

•  _         111119c 

J:  ^      2.0 

1-                         = 

I-    . 

I.I 

1.8 

1.25 

1.4 

1.6 

^       ^PPl   ipn   \hA/]GE.     Inc 


88       Tlic  White  l^eril  in  tlic  Far  East 

In  discussing  tiie  question,  however,  we  must 
first  realize  tiiat  the  outer  and  freely  chosen  life 
of  a  man  or  of  a  people,  is  an  o-ret^sion  of  the 
inner  life.  If  this  were  not  so  wc  should  have  no 
standing  ground  for  any  discussion  whatever. 
We  must  also  dehne  our  meaning  of  oriental  and 
occidental.  In  my  own  use  of  the  word,  oriental 
signiJies  that  type  of  civilization  which  does  not 
recognize  the  value  or  the  rights  of  the  individual 
person  as  such.  li  represents  autocratic  absolu- 
tism in  uovernmcnt;  it  emphasizes  the  rights  of 
the  superior  and  tlie  duties  of  the  inferior;  it 
ranks  man  as  inherently  superior  to  woman;  it 
has  no  place  for  popular  education  or  for  repre- 
sentative government,  and  it  esteems  military 
virtue  as  the  highest  tv[>e  known.  In  other 
words  in  oriental  civilization  the  community  is 
supreme,  the  individual  of  no  value  whatever  in 
himself. 

By  occidental  I  mean  that  tvpe  of  civilization 
which  recognizes  and  builds  on  the  inherent  value 
and  in.ilicnable  lights  of  iIk-  individual  person. 
The  tommuiiitv  exists  for  its  individuals.  The 
hnal  motive  of  oiuiiict  is  the  lii"hrst  welf.irc  of 
the  indivuln.ils  m  the  community.  The  com- 
mun.il  lid-  IS  the  me.ins  and  not  an  end.  It  does 
lint    ignore   the    value  or  the  nrcessitv  of   com- 


Treatment  of  Russian  Prisoners       89 

munal  life,  but  it  finds  the  justification  for,  and 
the  roots  of  communal  life  in  the  inherent  nature 
and  needs  of  individual  persons.  The  typical 
representatives  of  occidental  civilization  to-day 
are  England  and  America,  To  occidental,  there- 
fore, 1  prefer  the  word  Anglo-Saxon.  In  its  log- 
ically developed  forms,  Anglo-Saxon  civilization 
emph.isizes  constitutional  and  representative  gov- 
ernment, obedience  to  law,  inherent  equality  and 
liberty  of  all  men  even  though  in  social  rank  and 
personal  attainments  there  may  be  great  inequal- 
ities; it  emphasizes  popular  education,  the  mu- 
tual duties  and  rights  of  older  and  younger, 
superior  and  inferior,  the  prime  importance  of 
personal  character,  the  equal  importance  of  the 
family  with  the  military,  the  commercial,  and  the 
industrial  virtues. 

The  present  contention  is  that  the  external 
modes  of  the  life  of  a  people,  if  it  is  free  and 
voluntary,  is  a  true  index  of  the  inner  thought 
and  feeling  of  that  people,  and  that  these  two 
general  types  of  civilization  arc  real  expressions 
of  the  inner  thought  and  feclmg  of  the  peoples 
where  they  are  found.  Where  absolutism  is 
both  dominant  and  universally  accepted,  there  is 
found  the  least  sympathy  for  the  sufTcrings  of 
the  lower  classes,  the  least  clTort  to  elevate  and 


11 


.lu 


i 


) 


I'f 


90      'rhe  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

educat ;  them,  the  least  recognition  of  their  righii 
as  human  beings,  and  the  least  sympathetic  and 
helpful  treatment  by  those  in  power.     I  do  not 
mean  to  say  that  .ibsolutism  is  always  inditlerent 
to  the  ^merino  ol  the  lower  classes.     There  may 
be  at  times  real  sympathy  and  help  bestowed; 
but  it  IS  extended  as  a  condescension,  a  free  and 
virtuous  act,  not  as  a  duty  which  the  inferior  has 
a  right  to  claim.     On  the  other  hand,  where  the 
recognitit)n  of  the  individual  is  the  basic  principle 
of  a  civilization,  there  we  find  not  only  a  gov- 
ernment  embodying    that   ide.i   in   its   political, 
judicial,  and  educational  forms  of  oiganized  life, 
hut  also  in  wide-spread  etTorts  both  for  individual 
relief   tvcm   sutTering   and    for   the   elevation  of 
dependents  to  the  ranks  of  self-dependence.     I 
do  not  maintain  that  in  such  a  civilization  there 
IS  no  sufl.'ring  and  want,  but  rather  that  in  such 
a  civilization  the  man  in  the  street  is  thought  to 
have   his   lights   which   those   in   authority  and 
prosperity  .ire  bound  to  consider. 

Oriental  or  autocr.iiic  governments  never,  of 
couise,  lies.ribe  themselves  in  the  above  terms, 
not  would  hev  acknowledge  the  description  of 
them  here  given.  Tju'v  chose,  rather,  the  anal- 
ogy of  the  f  iimly,  (roru  which,  indeed,  .iiilociacy 
has   developed.       I  he    Oriental    lanprior    is    the 


Treatment  of  Russian  Prisoners       91 

great  father  of  his  people.     His  absolute  author- 
ity in  the  nation  is  but  the  developed  form  of  the 
authority  of  the   father  in   the  ancient   family. 
However  beautiful  it  is  in  theory,  in  fact  it  is  un- 
workable because  of  the  immensity  of  the  family, 
now  become  a  nation  of  many  millions.     The  fa- 
ther cannot  now  know  individually  nor  have  direct 
relations  with  all  his  children,  and  lor  this  reason 
he  cannot  himself  do  them  justice  nor  insure  that 
justice  be  done  them  by  the  other  members  of 
his  family.     In  the  face  of  these  practical  diffi- 
culties, orientalism  holds  fast  to  the  rights  and 
the  authority  of  the   Hmperor,  and   denies  the 
right  of  initiative  as  well  as  the  inherent  value  of 
the  individual.     Occidentalism  on  the  otl.er  hand, 
regard-  the  rights  and  the  development  of  all  in- 
dividuals as  of  the  highest  importance,  and  pro- 
vides means  whereby  the  individual  shares  in  the 
responsibilities    of    government.      In    a    word, 
orientalism  exalts  the  Emperor  regardless  of  the 
individual,  while   occidentalism   emphasizes   the 
inherent  worth  and  rights  of  the  individual. 

If  these  .110  correct  principles  of  judgment, 
then  we  havo  good  reason  for  asscrlint^  thai 
Japan  has  definitely  passed  out  .,f  exclusively 
orient.il  life  .uul  is  to-dav,  in  important  respects 
occident.il.     lor  within  the  past  tifty  years  no 


i 
i 


Hi; 


I'f 


92       The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

nation  has  so  freely  and  so  completely  changed 
her  estimate  of  the  worth  of  the  individual  as  has 
Japan. 

I  shall  not  stop  to  present  the  proofs  of  this 
change  as  seen  in  her  political,  judicial,  indus- 
trial, commercial,  educational,  and  philanthropic 
activity  and  organisation.     The  general  facts  in 
these    directions   are  widely  known.     The   pu 
ticular  principle  embodied  and  expressed  in  them 
all  IS  exactly  this  Anglo-Saxon  principle  of  regard 
and  esteem  for  the  individual.     Japan  has  defi- 
nitely ei.tered  on  what  1  have  elsewhere  called 
the  Commano-Individualistic  state  of  social  evo- 
lution,^  but  which  we  may  briefly  call  occidental- 
ism or  still  better  Anglo-Saxonism.     This  change 
of  attitude  in  regard  to  the  individual  has  struck 
deep    into   Japanese    life.     1   shall   here   confine 
myself  to  illustrations  taken  from  the  Japanese 
treatment  of  Russian  prisoners. 

Properly  to  appreciate  the  significance  of  their 
feelings  towards  these  prisoners,  we  should  call 
to  mind  a  few  facts.  First  of  all,  let  us  not  for- 
ftet  how  doep-scMted  m  the  human  breast  is  the 
desire  for  revenge;  also  the  foelnig  of  scorn  for 
alien  peoples.  Jiven  we  Anglo-.Saxons.  boasted 
products  of  the  highest  civih/ation.  priding  our- 

'ff.  "Kvolul,,,,..,!  ll.c   !.,,,.u,csr.-  p|,  332.34^. 


Treatment  of  Russian  Prisoners      93 

selves  on  our  colour  as  a  badge  of  divine  election 
through  the  survival  of  the  fittest,  even  we  have 
these  feelings  of  revenge  and  scorn,  proved  by 
many  sad   demonstrations.     What   then   might 
have  been  expected  of  the  Japanese  who  only 
yesterday  entered    into  our  modes  of  thought 
and  life?    We  must  also  remember  the  causes 
leading  to  this  war;  the  indignities  and  insults 
that  have  been  heaped  upon  Japan  for  the  past 
fifty  years;  the  continuous  difficulties  between 
Russian  and  Japan  sailors  in  the  northern  seas 
over  fishing  rights;  the  Russian,  German,  and 
French   interference   in   the  treaty  which  Japan 
made    with    China    after    her    victorious    war, 
whereby  Port  Arthur  was  restored  to  China  and 
within  three  years,  taken  over  by  Russia.     We 
must  also  bear  in  mind  Russian  intrigues  with 
Korea,    her   evident   plan    to   secure   Masampo, 
within   fifty   miles   of  Japan's  western   islands, 
and  to  make  it  another  Port  Arthur;   the  pro- 
crastinating diplomacy  by  which,  while  she  was 
saying    "Peace.    Peace."    Russia   was    hurrying 
regiment  and  battleship  to  the  front;  and  finally 
we    must   not   forget   the  cruelties  practiced  by 
Russian  soldiers  on  Japanese  scouts  and  soldiers 
as  they  lay  wounded  on  the  battle-field.    Corpses 
were   found   by  Japanese  soldieis  whose  arms 


11,    )l 


1 


•i' 

tl. 


i'l 


94      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

had  been  twisted  out  of  their  sockets;  whose 
eyes  had  been  gouged  out  and  their  places  filled 
with  mud;  whose  mouths  had  been  filled  with 
gunpowder    and    exploded.      Repeatedly    have 
Russian    soldiers   been   seen   deliberately  killing 
wounded  Japanese  soldiers.     And  more  horrible 
still   was   the   refusal   of   the   Russians  at    Port 
Arthur  for  five  consecutive  months  to  grant  an 
armistice  for  removal  of  the  wounded  and  burial 
of  the  dead.     When   the   Red   Cross  corps  at- 
tempted to  perform  its  errands  of  mercy,  they 
were   repeatedly  shot  down.     In  the  attack  of 
August    iq-23,    ?.20o    Japanese   were    reported 
missing.     This  means  that  they  had  fallen  inside 
the  enemy's  lines  or  so  close  to  them  that  with- 
out  Russian   permission   they  could   not   be  re- 
moved.    At  the  least  estimate  2,000  of  these  were 
merely  wounded.     These  men  were  allowed  to 
perish  after  days  of  intolerable  agony  without 
food,   or    water   or   any    relief   whatever,    lying 
there  among  the  putrifying  dead,  within  a  few 
yards  of  their  own  countrymen  and  under  the 
eyes  and  at  the  mercy  of  "Christian  "  Russians. 

After  all  this,  what  sort  of  treatment  of  Rus- 
sian prisoners  might  have  been  expected  from 
the  Japanese  government?  and  what  sentiments 
towards  the  prisoners  from  the  people  ?     Retail- 


Treatment  of  Russian  Prisoners       95 

ation  nt  the  front  would  have  been  most  natural 
surely,  but  we  have  no  evidence  that  it  occurred. 
Not  having  beei  there  myself  I  can  bear  no  testi- 
mony on  this  point.     But  for  six  months  after 
Russian  prisoners  began  to  arrive  in  Matsuyama, 
I  lived  in  that  city,  talked  with  Japanese  soldiers, 
doctors,  nurses  and  people,  saw  what  they  did, 
and  heard  what  they  said;  I  am  therefore  ready 
to  bear  testimony  as  to  the  real  feeling  of  the 
people.     To    tell   the   whole   of  my  experi.;nce 
would   lengthen   this   chapter  unduly.     For  the 
sake  of  brevity,  therefore,  I  shall  conline  myself 
to  a  few  typical  details. 

The  first  Russians  brought  to  Matsuyama  were 
not  prisoners,  but  "guests,"  twenty-two  men  of 
the  yariag  who  had  been  wounded  in  the  (irst 
conflict  at  Chemulpo. 

As  hospital  accommodations  on  shore  and  in 
the  neutral  war-ships  were  insufficient,  the  Japa- 
nese  Red   Cross   Society   took  charge  of   these 
nien,    and    from    (irst    to   last   treated   them  as 
gniests.     Quarters   were   (ittc-d    up   f„r   them    in 
Matsuyama  and  provided  with  a  special  surgeon, 
an  interpreter,  a  pharmacist,  and  eleven  nurses.' 
Beds  of  foreign  style  v\ere  supplied,  also  blank- 
ets, sheets,   pillows   and  pillow-cases.     Foreign 
foods,  such  as  bread  and  meat  were  also  given 


i 


if. 

I. 


*i 


96      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

the  men.    The  Governor,  Vice-Governor,  Chief 
of  Police,  and  heads  of  villages,  made  "  visits  of 
condolence."     Fresh  cut  (lowers  were  provided 
for  their  rooms  every  few  days.     The  Emperor 
sent  special  word  of  "consolation"  and  asked 
them  to  make  known  their  wants.     Those  who 
had  lost  limbs  or  eyes  should  be  supplied  with 
artificial  ones  at  his  personal  expense.     As  the 
"  guests  ■■  recovered  they  were  given  much  free- 
dom.    In   the  yard   of  the   hospital   1   watched 
them  as  they  played  ball  with  their  nurses,  ap- 
parently  having  a  jolly   time.     All   war   news, 
caricatures  and  even  pictures  were  kept  carefully 
from  them  lest  they  be  led  to  unhappy  thoughts. 
I  carried  to  the  hospital  two  volumes  of  Harper's 
]Veekly  of  our  own  Civil  War  times.     But  they 
were  returned  as  likely  to  cause  the  Russians  un- 
pleasant  memories.     When   the   "guests"  had 
completely   regained   their  strength    they   were 
given  new  clothes  and  sent  back  to  Russia. 

1  was  told  in  August  that  the  expense  of  caring 
for  those  twenty-two  Russian  "guests"  had 
amounted  to  $600  per  month.  Could  any  treat- 
ment excel  this  for  kindliness  of  thought  and 
feeling  ?  I  doubt  if  those  men  had  ever  had  such 
a  delightful  time  in  their  lives  before.  Photo- 
graphs  were   often   taken   of  them    with   their 


Treatment  of  Russian  Prisoners       97 
nurses  and  doctors  and  guards,  and  they  carried 
copies  of  these  photographs  back  to  Russia  with 
them.     Though  desiring  to  be  of  service  if  pos- 
sible, and  though  1  called  several  times  for  this 
purpose,  there  was  absolutely  nothing  for  me  to 
do  for  the  comfort  of  these  guests.     Prisoners 
who  soon  arrived  by  scores  and  by  hundreds 
could,  of  course,  receive  no  such  minutely  con- 
siderate and  expensive  treatment,  yet.  even  here 
1  was  repeatedly  surprised  at  what  was  done 

The  severely  wounded  were  brought  to  town 
on  litters.     I  supposed  the  authorities  would  at 
Ie:.st    have    required    that    able-bodied   Russian 
prisoners  carry  these   litters;    but   no.  Japanese 
coohes  were  provided.     This  was  done  through 
consideration  of  their  feelings.     Those  who.  not 
able  to  walk,  could  yet  sit  up.  were  brought  into 
the  City  riding  ,n  jinrikishas   (sometimes  face- 
tiously called  by  travellers  "  pull-man-cars '•)      I 
noticed  .he  smiles  of  these  prisoners  as.  for"the 
iirst  tune,  they  entered  this  strange  vehicle  and 
were    pulled   otT    by  a   small  Japanese   runner. 
They  evidently  experienced  the  usual  sensations 
of  the   foreigner,   who.  for  the  first  time  since 
infancy,  is  wheeled  about  as  a  baby. 

The  prisoners  first  brought  to  Matsuyama  were 
nnmifestly  anxious,  and  this  was  natural,  for  one 


s 


3 
ft 

at 


98      The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

of  their  interpreters  told  me  that  Russian  soldiers 
are  taught  that  as  prisoners  in  Japan  they  are  sure 
to   be    beheaded   in    public   in   order  to   arouse 
national  patriotism.     In  view  of  this  dread  antici- 
pation the  JVlatsuyama  authorities  arranged  that 
whenever  new  squads  of  prisoners  arrived  some 
of  those  v/ho  had  come  before  should  go  to  meet 
them,    and    thus   in   a   moment,   disabuse  their 
minds  of  their  apprehension.     Able  bodied  or 
slightly    wounded    prisoners    were    distributed 
among     several      Buddhist     temples     suitably 
guarded.     The  food   prepared   was   partly   for- 
eign, bread  and  meat  being  served  once  a  day, 
so  I  was  told,  thus  making  the  actual  cost  of 
food  supplied  to  the  prisoner  greater  than  that 
given  to  the  Japanese  soldier.     Mosquito   nets 
were  provided  for  all,  being  important  though 
not  essential,   for  their  comfort.     Extraordinary 
liberty  was  granted  these  prisoners;  under  speci- 
fied conditions  squads  of  them  were  allowed  to 
go  to  the  shore  for  sea  bathing;  others  went  for 
baths  to  the  famous  hot  springs  at  Dogo,  about  a 
mile  from  the  city.     Sometimes  I  met  groups  of 
pedestrians   out  for  the  joy  of  a  walk.     They 
were  accompanied  by  a  guide,  rather  than  by  a 
guard;    for  the   particular  time   which   I   recall 
showed  about  twenty  men  led  by  a  soldier  who 


Treatment  of  Russian  Prisoners 

carried  neither  sword  nor  gun,  another  soldier 
similarly  unarmed  bringing  up  the  rear.     How 
the  government  could  have  been  more  consider- 
ate in  its  treatment  of  the  prisoners,  it  is  uifficult 
to  imagine.     The  public  meeting  hall  was  espe- 
cially fitted  up  for  the  Russian  officers  and  they 
were  allowed  to  engage  servants  and  to  provide 
themselves  with  better  food  if  they  wished.     I 
have    been    told  that  even   then   these  officers 
grumbled  more  or  less,  but  surely  without  cause. 
The  wounded  of  course  received  special  care. 
Hospital   buildings  of  a  temporary  nature  were 
erected  in  the  drill  ground  outside  the  city,  an 
exceedingly  beautiful  and  wholesome  place,  and, 
so   far  as  I  could  judge,   every  precaution  was 
taken  and  preparation  made  for  their  health  and 
comfort.     A  leading  military  surgeon  was  sent 
down   by    His   Majesty,    the   Emperor,    to   take 
charge  of  the  Russian  wounded.     In  July  I  had 
the  pleasure  of  dining  with  him  and  learned  many 
interesting  facts.     He  it  was  who,  several  years 
before,  had  persuaded  the  authorities  to  use  the 
particular    variety    of   bullet   and    powder   with 
which  the  army  has  since  then  been  equipped. 
The  grounds  urged  were  the  small  caliber  of  the 
bullet  and  the  harmlessness  of  the  powder,  pro- 
ducing wounds,  which  while  temporarily  disa- 


a   t 


^11 


I 

•'4 


i 


loo    The  White  Peril  in  the  Fur  East 

bliiig  a  man,  would  be  quite  likely  to  heal.    He  told 
me  with  justifiable  pride  that  of  the  Ooo  Russian 
surgical  cases  already  handled  by  himself  but  four 
had  proved  fatal  and  two  others  might  soon  be 
added  to  the  number,  making  thus  an  average  of 
ninety-nine  per    cent,   of  recoveries.     As  an  in- 
stance of  the  exceeding  care  exercised,  let  me  in- 
stance  the   case   of  those   men  whose  wounds 
could   not   be   satisfactorily   diagnosed   in    Mat- 
suyama.     On  the  return  to  the  port  of  the  Hakiiai 
Mani,  the  Japanese  Red  Cross  Hospital  Ship,  th.se 
men  were  taken  thither  a  distance  of  live  miles 
and  on   board   the  ship   were   examined  under 
X-r.iys.     The  bullets  thus  located  were  extracted 
the  following  day  on  '  ..  return  of  the  prisoners 
to   Matsuyama.     All   this   illustrates   the  official 
treatment   of  the  prisoners  but  what  of  the  at- 
titude of  the  common  p^uple  towards  these  same 
men  ? 

As  Russian  prisoners  arrived,  crowds  gathered 
to  see  them.  What  now  should  we  have  ex- 
pected from  such  crowds,  under  such  conditions  ? 
Unpleas.int  remarks  surely,  even  jeers  and  taunts. 
I';incy  hundreds  of  Chinese  prisoners  brought 
into  any  American  city,  especially  into  a  town 
where  tlhinamen  had  never  been  seen.  Chinamen 
who   had   treated   Americans   as    Russians  have 


Treatment  ot"  Russian  Prisoners     loi 

treated  the  Japanese.     What  "welcome  "  would 
they  receive?    i  was  amazed  and  delighted  to 
hear  no  unkind  word  as  1  watched  the  prisoners 
pass    along.     The    only    remark    I    heard   was 
"Kitanai,  Kitanai "  (dirty,  dirty j,  and  they  cer- 
tainly  were  dirty.     F^^haps  they   were   not  to 
blame  for  this,  but  from  first  to  last  during  my 
live  months  in  Matsuyama  after  they  began  to  ar- 
rive,   1   heard  no  suggestion  of  jeer  or  taunt  or 
scorn.     Kven  in  talking  about  the  Russians  such 
sentiments   did   not  appear.     Rather  was   there 
evidence  of  pity  for  them,  with  a  desire  to  help 
them. 

The  people  of  Japan  clearly  understand  what 
the  government  has  taken  great  pains  to  teach, 
that   this   is   not  a  war  of  races.     Japan  is   not 
fighting    the    Russian   people   but   the   Russian 
government;    the    individual,    therefore,    in    his 
personal   relation  should  not  be  affected  by  the 
war.     The  people  know,  too.  that  many  of  the 
Russian  soldiers  have  been  forced  to  light  against 
their  wills.     A  letter  was  printed  in  a  Matsuyama 
paper  purporting  to  be  a  translation  of  an  anony- 
mous letter  from  Poland,  asking  the  Japanese  to 
be  kind  to  Polish  soldiers  because  no  Poles  ap- 
prove the  war  or  fight  willingly  against  the  Japa- 
nese.    Such  an  appeal  .is  this  moved  the  Japanese 


% 


i 


I*    J 


h. 


1 1 

I 

•'I 


m 


: 


102    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

heart  mightily.  It  strikes  a  well  known  dilemma 
in  Japanese  ethics,  "gi-;i,"  requiring  one  to  do 
his  duty  despite  his  natural  feelings.  The  Japa- 
nese know,  too,  how  desperate  is  the  situation 
in  Russia  herself  and  they  pity  a  country  so 
pressed. 

Thus  it  has  come  to  pass  that,  despite  the 
natural  causes  for  retaliation,  and  for  emotions  of 
revenge  and  hate,  we  have  in  Japan  to-day  the 
manifestation  of  reverse  emotions.  The  follow- 
ing is  a  further  illustration. 

The  boys  in  our  Matsuyama  Boys"  Club  planned 
for  a   picnic  one  Saturday  afternoon.     As  they 
were  about  to  start  for  the  hills,  one  suggested 
that  instead  they  visit  the  prisoners.     All  agreed, 
and   on   the   way  there  they   bought   fruit  and 
cigarettes  which   they   tossed  to   the  men  over 
the  low   rear   wall  of  the  temple,  much  to  the 
personal  comfort  of  the  delighted  recipients.     I 
learned  later,  that  so  many  citizens  took  to  this 
"sport  "  that  guards  were  stationed  in  the  rear  as 
well   as   in   the  front  and  the  practice  stopped. 
They  feared  lest  some  evil-minded  person  might 
take  advantage  of  the  custom  to  introduce  poison 
with  the  fruit  and  harm  the  prisoners. 

One  hot  day  in  July  I  went  at  sundown  with 
my   fannly   to    the    drill    ground    to    see    how 


'•SSi:. 


Treatment  of  Russian  Prisoners     103 

the    wounded    men   were    accommodated   and 
cared  for.     A  crowd  of  several  hundred  Japa- 
nese had  evidently  gone  there  for  the  same  pur- 
pose.    Around  the  hospital  buildings,   at  some 
distance,  two  lines  of  straw  rope  were  stretched. 
They  were  about  ten  feet  apart  and  no  person 
was  allowed  in  the  intervening  space.     Within 
the  inner  line  hundreds  of  prisoners,  all  in  white, 
were  strolling  around  or  lying  on  the  grass  smok- 
ing, chatting,  and  laughing.     One  group  played 
Daseball  with  much  interest  and  laughter.     Be- 
yond the  outer  line  was  the  populace  looking  on 
with    quiet    interest  and  apparent  satisfaction. 
The  whole  was  to  me  an  interesting  display  on 
both  sides  of  the  line.     Take  it  all  in  all,  the 
treatment    of,    and    the  feeling   towards,    those 
prisoners  both  by  the  government  and  by  the 
people  was  as  nearly  ideal  as  possible.     So  much 
did  the  prisoners  themselves  appreciate  the  good- 
will of  the  people  that  a  group  of  fifteen  of  them 
(Jews)  wrote  an  appeal  to  the  Hmperor  beseech- 
ing that  when  the  end  of  the  war  should  come 
and  the  prisoners  should  be  set  free,  they  might 
bi-  allowed  to  leiiiain  in  Japan  and  become  his 
subjects.     This  letter  was  translated  into  Japa- 
nese and  published  in  the  local  press  to  the  evi- 
dent satisfaction  of  tJu-  citizens. 


m 


k-iy\: 


104    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

A  single   instance   of    Japanese  cruelty   to  a 
Russian  prisoner  has  been  reported,  which  I  pass 
on.     It  seems  that  a  strapping  big  fdlow  had 
surrendered  himself  to  a  single  Japanese  picket. 
When  they  reached  camp,  the  hands  of  the  Rus- 
sian were  firmly  tied  behind  his  back  with  a  stout 
cord  several  feet  long.     Keeping  at  a  safe  dis- 
tance behind,  the  Japanese  had  driven  his  captive 
into  camp,  prepared  to  jerk  hnn  up  if  need  be. 
This  displeased  the  captam  of  the  company,  who 
rebuked  his  picket  for  giving  his  prisoner  such 
needless  pain   and   humiliation.     To   which  the 
little   fellow  replied   that  although   the  Russian 
had  surrendered  voluntarily,  when  he  v\'as  near 
enough  for  il,  the  monstrous  fellow  had  tried  to 
bite  him.     By  a  struggle,  however,  he  had  saved 
hmiself  and  succ  cdcd  in  tying  the  hands  of  his 
prisoner.     Out  of  curiosity  the  captain  called  an 
interpreter  and  asked  the  captive  why.  after  sur- 
rendering,   he   had    tried   t.>   bite   the   Japanese. 
"Hite  hmi!"he  said   m  astonishment,  "  why,  I 
tried  to  kiss  him."     Th,  Japanese  soldier,  never 
I'-'vmg   iH-en   kissed   m   his  life,  did  not  under- 
stand  the  heartiness  of  his  captive's  salutation, 
nor  the  depth  ol  his  giatitiide  In,  the  relief  which 
had  .n,)u-  to  hmi  tiiK.UMh  bem^;  captured. 

T"  P'esrni   mv  ar,.;,inunt  M.mpletely  1  should 


Treatment  of  Russian  Prisoners     icc 

now  describe  in  detail  the  work  and  spirit  of  tiie 
Red  Cross  Society,  both  throughout  the  country 
and  at  the  front.     1  should  make  clear  its  im- 
partial treatment  of  foes  and  friends  alike.     Yet 
this  is  already  so  generally  known  th;it  1  pass  it 
by.     To  show  nevertheless,  that  it  truly  repre- 
sents the  sentiment  and  the  spirit  of  the  nation,  I 
must  give  a  few  statistics.     The  membership  of 
the    Red   Cross   Society   exceeds   870,000,   their 
annual  fees  amounting  to  2,000,000  yen  (§1,000,- 
000).      The    society    has    already    accumulated 
7,000,000  yen  and  owns  besides  many  hospitals, 
two  hospital  ships,  one  of  which  is  in  all  proba- 
bility  unsurpassed  by   that   of  any   nation.     Its 
trained   nurses   number    ?,c)oo  women  and   700 
men  and  it  has  a  regular  corps  of  280  physicians. 
The  Red  Cross  Society  truly  stands  for  a  national 
movement  and  the  national  spirit. 

Whence  has  come  to  J;,p;m  this  beautiful  altru- 
ism, this  pity  ;uid  good-will  even  f.^r  a  cruel  and 
deceitful  foe  ?  Is  ,t  ;,  p.rt  of  her  oriental  inherit- 
ance and  civili^^ation  ?  Why  then  did  it  not  exist 
in  Old  Japan?  When  the  armies  of  Hideyoshi 
conquered  Korea  (isqS)  the  ears  of  :i,,,<Kx,  Ko- 
reans were  sent  back  to  Jap.-n  pickled  w.  vinegar. 
They  were  deposited  in  a  mound  in  Kyoto,  cov- 
ered v\  ith  soil  and  surmounted  with  a  monument 


t    ,il 


t'tl 


11 


r 


i 


1  ■ 
li 
i ' 


1 1 


r      '.. 


!| 


106    The  White  Peril  in  the  P^ar  East 

commemorating  the  savage  event.  This  monu- 
ment declares  its  meaning  by  its  name,  Mimi- 
zul<a,  Ear  Mound. 

The  truth  is  that  many  subtle  causes  have  been 
at  work  even  from  the  time  that  Japan  first  came 
into  contact  with  the  West,  and  they  have  led 
to  profound  changes  in  the  inner  life  of  the  peo- 
ple. Torture,  public  exhibition  of  beheaded 
trunks  and  trunkless  heads,  many  forms  of 
cruelty  and  injustice  once  regarded  with  indiffer- 
ence, have  all  come  to  be  as  abhorrent  to  the  Japa- 
nese to-day  as  to  an  American  or  an  Englishman. 
Careful  thought  will  show  that  regard  for  others 
as  individuals  with  rights  and  feelings  such  as 
we  ourselves  possess  is  the  tap  root  of  this  new 
sentiment  of  pity  and  sympathy. 

So  far  then  as  we  judge  Japan's  treatment  of 
Russian  prisoners  to  be  the  genuine  expression 
of  her  inner  life  must  we  count  her  as  belonging 
to  the  occidental  rather  than  to  the  oriental 
system  of  civilization. 

There  are  those  who  count  the  results  of  mis- 
sionaiy  work  solely  by  the  statistical  tables  of 
church  membership  and  of  students  in  Christian 
schools.  No  method  of  estimating  results  could 
be  more  faulty.  If  the  work  of  the  missionary  is 
primarily  to  plant  seed  which  shall  result  in  en- 


Treatment  of  Russian  Prisoners     107 

nobled  lives  then  the  wide  influence  which  he 
exerts  consciously  or  unconsciously  on  the  whole 
life  of  a  nation  should  be  taken  into  account  in 
making  truthful  estimates.  1  do  not  claim  the 
Red  Cross  Society  as  the  product  solely  or  even 
indirectly  of  exclusively  missionary  work.  But 
it  is  not  difficult  to  see  that  the  wide  proclama- 
tion by  missionaries  first,  and  later  by  pastors 
and  evangelists  of  Christian  teaching  to  love  one's 
enemies,  and  the  practical  exemplilication  of  this 
teaching  by  the  Christian  community  has  been 
one  of  the  many  influences  which  have  led  to 
Japan's  present  high  ideals  and  practice. 

For  fear  of  being  misunderstood  I  must  add 
that  I  am  not  ignorant  of  certain  forms  of  com- 
passion taught  by  Buddhism  and  certain  forms  of 
sympathy  practiced  in  Japan  before  her  contact 
with  the  West.  Neither  have  1  forgotten  the  hid- 
eous cruelties  practiced  in  Christendom  even 
down  to  relatively  modern  times.  Still  in  spite 
of  these  indubitable  facts,  it  seems  to  me  clear 
that  the  civilization  of  old  Japan  paid  almost  no 
attention  to  the  value  and  rights  of  man  as  man, 
whereas  the  predominant  and  basal  characteristic 
of  her  new  civilization  adopted  from  the  West,— 
regard  for  the  individual— controls  not  only  her 
external   organization    but    permeates  her  inner 


I    H 


1! 

ii 
'H 

i 

n 
I*) 


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t  * 

I  1 


io8    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

spirit  and  is  shown  in  her  present  estimate  of  the 
value  and  rights  of  the  individual. 

I  should  add  that  what  1  have  called  occidental 
or  Anglo-Saxon  civilization  is  a  relatively  modern 
thing  even  in  the  West.  Only  in  recent  times 
has  this  principle  gained  such  headway  as  to  con- 
trol legislation  and  political  organization,  though, 
manifestly,  it  has  not  as  yet  gained  complete  con- 
trol. Better  than  the  terms  oriental  and  occi- 
dental are  the  terms  Communal  and  Communo- 
Individual  Civilization.  The  former  terms 
necessarily  mislead  and  are  liable  to  produce  ill 
will  and  rivalry.  The  latter  are  descriptive  and 
show  true  relations,  it  would  seem  that,  in  her 
social  evolution,  Japan  has  definitely  crossed  the 
line  that  separates  the  Communal  from  the  Com- 
muno-lndividual  social  order,  whereas  in  Russia 
these  principles  are  to-day  in  deadly  struggle, 
the  Communal  principle  being  still  dominant. 


I 


I -I 


VI 

THE  MISSION  OF  JAPAN 

I  AM  acquainted  with  no  more  striking  effect  on 
Japan  of  her  intercourse  with  white  races  than 
the  change  wrought  in  her  national  ideal.  For 
2S0  years  that  ideal  was  international  isolation. 
She  desired  neither  to  give  nor  to  receive  from 
other  nations.  She  wished  to  live  her  own  life 
in  absolute  independence  and  self-sufficiency,  as 
though  in  a  separate  world. 

To-day,  this  ideal  is  reversed.  No  nation  is 
now  more  ready  to  learn  from  others  or  more  de- 
sires to  play  its  role  on  the  world's  stage.  Inter- 
racial intercourse  has  fired  her  ambitions. 
"Japan's  World  Mission  "  is  a  theme  of  frequent 
di  ussion  in  the  magazines  and  debating  socie- 
ties of  Japan.  This  mission,  say  her  thinkers, 
aiises  from  her  peculiar  geographical  position  and 
her  psychic  character.  Both  unite  to  make  her 
the  natural  meeting  ground,  the  clearing  house,  of 
the  Far  Hast  and  the  Far  West.  She  is  fitted  by 
psychic  nature  to  interpret  each  to  the  other,  and 
to  unite  the  best  elements  of  both.     For  thou- 

109 


•<  1 


ft 


'    rJ 


ly 


i 


;-.^^b 


'       I 


I    I 


110    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  Eust 

sands  of  years  fhe  white  man  and  the  yellow 
have  been  absolutely  separated.  Each  race  has 
followed  its  own  bent  of  life  and  thought  with 
the  present  result  of  radically  diverse  civilizations. 
Language,  social  structure,  conceptions  of  deity 
and  of  men;  of  family,  of  state  and  individual, 
of  art,  and  music— all  these,  through  a  millennial 
process  of  divergent  social  evolution  have  become 
wholly  unlike.  Divergent  biological  evolution 
has  at  the  same  time  produced  distinct  types  of 
men.  Now,  at  the  end  of  the  ages,  the  sepa- 
rating barrier  of  space  has  been  abolished  and 
free  social  intercourse  has  begun.  Here  arises 
the  problem.  Can  the  East  and  the  West  grow 
together  again  ?  Are  social  and  psychic  evolu- 
tion to  be  compared  to  the  branches  of  a  tree, 
so  that,  once  parted  at  the  fork,  continued  growth 
only  carries  the  leafy  fringes  further  and  further 
apart,  or  are  they  to  be  compared  to  flowing 
water  ?  Parted  for  a  season,  each  stream  acquires 
the  characteristics  of  the  soil  through  which  it 
passes;  but  later,  meeting  again  in  a  single  chan- 
nel, perfect  union  takes  place,  the  new  single 
stream  combining  the  qualities  of  the  two  that 
were  separate.  Which  is  the  correct  symbol  of 
social  and  psychic  evolution  ? 
Evidently  only  free  intermarriage  of  the  yellow 


The  Mission  of"  Japan  m 

and  the  white  races  carried  on  for  centuries  could 
now  unite  their  biological  traits  and  produce  a 
numan  race  possessing  the  average  physical  char- 
acteristics of  those  races.     Does  this  hold  true 
also  of  psychic   evolution?    Is  the  convergent 
psychic  evolution   of  different  races  dependent 
on  the  intermarriage  of  those  races?    Is  mans 
psychic  nature  such  that  the  intellectual,  emo- 
tional and  volitional  gains  of  thousands  of  years 
of  divergent   psychic  evolution   are  exclusively 
confined   to  the  children   of  the   race  that  has 
passed  through  that  evolution,  so  that  the  psychic 
modification    of   one   race   by  another  may   be 
brought  about  only  by  the  intermarriage  of  two 
races?    Or  may  those  gains   be   passed   on  or 
exchanged    without    int        Triage    merely    by 
social  intercourse? 

These  are  questions  of  the  highest  importance 
regarding  racial  and  social  betterment.  The  out- 
look is  dark  or  bright  as  we  adopt  on  view 
or  the  other.  Japanese  writers  take  the  second 
view.  Baron  Kaneko  has  written :— "  The  Japa- 
nese mind  is  earnestly  engaged  moulding  into 
one  the  two  forms  of  culture,  the  oriental  and  oc- 
cidental, its  ambition  being  to  harmonize  them." 
Pastor  Hoshino  says:— "Just  as  the  individual 
life  is  ennobled  by  the  consciousness  of  having  a 


i.  J 


r 


'I 

I'! 


,  I 


1 12     The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 


!    I 


!  II 


)   I 


heaven-appointed  mission,  so  must  it  be  with 
the  hfe,  progress  and  activity  of  a  nation."  Then 
pointing  out  the  "convictions  which  are  at  pres- 
ent shaping  themselves  in  the  consciousness  of 
the  Japanese  nation  as  to  their  world-wide  mis- 
sion," he  inentions  four  chief  points  to  prove  to 
the  world  that  modern  civilization  is  not  local 
but  universal. 

1.  "It  seems  to  be  thought  by  many  that 
modern  civilization  may  indeed  be  put  on  like 
a  garment  by  inferior  peoples,  but  that  it  cannot 
be  digested,  ;i  similated  and  made  a  part  of  their 
very  life.  But  this  is  a  view  which  does  not 
give  expression  to  the  real  value  of  civilization. 
Japan  has  not  put  on  civilization  as  a  garment, 
but  has  taken  it  into  her  very  life  and  grown 
strong  thereby.  It  is  surely  her  destiny  to  ad- 
vance and  show  what  a  great  thing  civilization  is." 

2.  "To  harmonize  eastern  and  western 
thought."  Reviewing  briefly  Japan's  history  he 
concludes: — "Thus  Japan  has  come  to  under- 
stand the  best  in  both  western  and  eastern  civili- 
zations, and  she  ought  to  be  able  to  do  something 
towards  harmonizing  their  various  elements,  and 
show  how  the  excellencies  of  each  may  supply 
the  deficiencies  of  the  other.  This  surely  is  a 
part  of  Japan's  heaven-appointed  mission." 


The  Mission  of  Japan  113 

3.  "To  regenerate  China  and  Korea."  "Japan 
has  a  special  responsibility  in  carrying  on  this 
great  •A'ork.  As  Japan  has  freely  received  of  the 
best  they  themselves  possessed,  so  now  she 
ought  freely  to  give  them  her  best,  and  the  best 
she  has  attained  from  her  western  friends,  a 
mission  from  which  she  dare  not  shrink." 

4.  "To  promote  the  peace  and  commerce  of 
the  east."  "This,  of  course,  is  not  the  duty  of 
Japan  alone,  but  of  all  the  superior  races,  yet 
Japan  has  a  special  mission  here." 

Japanese  thinkers  seem  to  appreciate  more 
clearly  than  some  of  our  western  professors  of 
sociology,  that  the  period  of  divergent  social 
evolution  has  passed  with  the  passing  of  geo- 
graphical isolation. 

We  are  now  entering  a  period  of  universal 
convergent  social  evolution.  The  social  and 
psychic  gains  of  the  races  and  nations  which 
during  the  past  have  developed  apart  from  each 
other  are  now  to  be  mutually  exchanged,  and 
this  by  a  process  not  of  racial  intermarriage  or 
military  domination,  but  of  free  social  inter- 
course. By  this,  all  those  who  share  in  the 
process  will  be  gainers.  Japan  is  in  the  fore- 
front of  the  movement.  Her  position  and  his- 
tory fit   her  to   be  the  leader.     Already,  in  no 


■M 


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i. 
% 


!   U 


1 14    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

small  measure  has  she  accomplished  for  herself 
the  amalgamation  of  eastern  and  western  cul- 
ture.    She  is  now  starting  on  the  new  role  of 
teacher  and  leader  of  the  Far  Hast.     With  miw- 
nificent  comprehension  of  her  opportunities  she 
has  opened  her  educational  institutions  to  Chinese 
and  Korean  students,     in  December,   1904,  not 
less  than  s.ooo  Chinese  students  were  in  Japan, 
and  in  June  of  the  same  year  over  ninety  Chinese 
cadets  were  graduated  from  the  Japanese  Mili- 
tary Academy,  and  not  less  than  so(j  more  were 
either  in  the  academy  or  in  courses  leading  to  it. 
Many  military  and  other  schools  in  the  provincial 
capitals   of   China  employ  Japanese  instructors. 
Hr.    Beach    reported    in   October,    i  x\\,    on    his 
return  from  a  visit  to  China,  that  he  had  seen  a 
Chinese  college  in  process  of  erection  in  which 
were  suites  of  rooms  for  fifty-six  Japanese  pro- 
fessors.    A    few  d.ivs  after  the  breaking  out  of 
the   war.    our   University   lixlension   Society   in 
M'ltsuyama  held  .1  debate  in  regard  to  wai  ques- 
tions.    Thi"  unanimity  of  opinion  was  sti iking. 
All    agret'd    that  victory  would   crown   Jap.uiese 
arms,  but    that   Japan   shouKl    in    no   case   seek 
military  domination  of  any  p;iit   of  the   Asiatic 
continent.     But  equally  emphatic  M'as  the  opinion 
that  she  inits/  t.ike   the   leailing   position  of  in- 


> 

i 


The  Mission  of  Japan  1 1  c 

(luence,  and  that  this  was  to  be  secured  only  by 
sending  to  those  lands  teachers,  able  and  true  in 
knowledge  and  character.  Japan  was  to  domi- 
nate and  lead  the  orient  by  sheer  mental  and 
moral  ability. 

But  does  Japan  have  a  mission  to  the  West  as 
well  ?    Is  she  to  contribute  any  element  of  per- 
manent value  to  universal  civilization  ?    Of  this 
there  can  be  no  doubt.     She  has  alread'  accom- 
plished much  in  art.     Whether  the  ambitious  be- 
lief of  some  of  her  young  men  is  to  be  realized 
that  Japan  will  produce  the  universal  religion,  dis- 
placing thereby  all  existing  faiths,  only  time  can 
show.     Discussion    of    this   question   is   hardly 
needed  here.     Sufficient  is  it  for  us  to  know  that 
such    aspirations   are  found  in  Japan  today.     A 
more  manifest  mission  of  Japan  to  the  West  is 
the    contribution   she  is  likely   to  make  to  the 
development  of  our  culture   in  conduct.     Here 
the  Asiatic  is  far  and  away  superior  to  the  Ameri- 
can   and    the    liuropean.     Compared    with   the 
iivei.ige  Asiatic  the  most  of  us  are  country  bump- 
kins m  maitc-rs  of  curtesy  and  in  social  relations. 
'I  hat  is  what  they  have  conspicuously  developed 
and  that  is  what  we  conspicuously  lack.     J.ipan 
will  perhaps  lead  in  bringing  us  to  recogni/e  our 
defect,  and  m.iy  help  us  u.  .^111  t!u>  belter  way. 


iA 


1 


h 


iv 


1 16    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

From  being  the  most  secluded  and  self-suffi- 
cient people  of  the  earth,  Japan  has  advanced  to 
the  forefi  nt  of  progressive  open-mindedness. 
The  white  peril  so  long  feared  has  proved  to  be 
the  very  tonic  and  stimulus  required  to  place 
iier  in  the  advance  guard  of  progressive  nations. 
She  now  takes  her  part  in  doing  the  world's  work 
and  seeks,  in  ways  at  once  wise,  humane,  just 
and  powerful,  to  restrain  the  greedy  aggressor 
and  to  build  up  the  weak  and  the  backward.  At 
this  point  1  cannot  refrain  from  contrasting  the 
policy  of  the  Japanese  government  towards  f  lina 
'vith  the  shoit-sighted  policy  of  the  United 
States  towards  the  same  country.  What  golden 
opportunities  we  lose!  To-day  Japan  is  exerting 
the  inlluence  which  we  also  might  exert,  did  we 
not  exclude  Chinese  students  from  our  institutions 
by  excluding  them  from  our  country. 

Many  quotations  from  Japanese  writers  might 
be  presented.  1  give  but  one.  it  is  from  my 
friend  Mr.  K.  Uchimura:— 

"Two  streams  of  civilization  (lowed  in  op- 
posite directions  when  mankind  descended  from 
their  primitive  homes  on  the  table-land  of  Iran  or 
Armenia.  Th.it  towards  the  west  passed  through 
Balnlon.  Phtrnicia,  {'iii.(,re.  Rome,  fierrnanv. 
hngland.  and  culminated  in  America,  while  that 


The  Mission  of  Japan 


117 


through  the  east  travelled  through  India,  Thibet 
and  China,  culminating  in  the  Manchoo  Court  of 
Peking.  The  moral  world  is  also  a  magnet,  with 
its  two  opposite  poles,  on  the  opposite  banks  of 
the  Pacific;  democrat'c,  jgressive,  inductive 
America,  and  the  imperial,  conservative,  and  de- 
ductive China.  There  have  been  constant  at- 
tempts for  the  union  of  these  magnetic  currents. 
Grander  tasks  await  the  young  Japan  who  has  the 
best  of  Europe  and  the  best  of  Asia  at  her  com- 
mand. At  her  touch  the  circuit  is  completed, 
and  the  healthy  lluid  shall  overllow  the  earth." 


fiJ 


i  A 


vU 


r,, 


ii 


Kit 


I     I 


•  I 
I 


VII 

A   NKW  PERIOD 

The  opening  of  the  war  with  Russia  both  makes 
and  marks  a  period  in  the  life  of  Japan.  The 
dreadful  reality  of  threatened  armed  attack  by 
white  men.  feared  for  centuries,  prepared  for  dur- 
ing forty-live  years  by  Herculean  efforts  of  na- 
tional transformation,  has  at  last  burst  upon  her. 
Profound  resentment  and  .in-er  have  been  roused 
in  Japan  by  Russian  treatment  r  interests  and 

rights   in   the   Far   Kast,  by  t;  .  n,  -thods  of  her 
diplomacy  and  by  her  cruelty  to  Japanese  women, 
scouts    and   wounded   soldiers.     But   the   most 
striking   fact    at  the  opening  of  this  era.  is  the 
universal  feeling  of  good  will  entertained  by  the 
Jap.uiese  towards  the  American  and  Hngiish  peo- 
ples.    Due    to   the    lei.itivrlv    just   and  unselfish 
course  of  these  two  nations,  in  their  oflicial  rela- 
tions, I.ip.in  does  not  think  of  ilu-  present  war  .is 
a  conOkl  Ml   ilu-  I'.n    li.ist  With  the  West,  of  the 
brown  man  with  the  while.     As  alre.uiv  stated 
her  government  li.is  t.iken  gre.it  p.iins  to  s.iy  th.,| 
this   IS   neither  .i  r.ue  war  nor  .i  religious  v,.r. 

ii.s 


A  New  Period 


h 


119 


The  instruction  repeatedly  issued  to  the  nation 
is:— "The  Japanese  government  is  fighting  not 
the  Russian  people  but  their  corrupt  govern- 
ment." 

So  far  as  the  feelings  of  Japan  are  concerned, 
then,  the  "  white  peril  "  as  such,  is  a  thing  of  the 
past.  The  solidarity  of  the  white  man  against 
the  yellow  and  the  brown  man  has  been  broken. 
Perils  from  white  men  and  white  nations  still  re- 
main, but  they  are  recognized  as  individual  and 
national  and  as  not  racial  or  religious,  a  distinc- 
tion of  the  highest  importance. 

Japan  also  recognizes  herself  and  her  new  civili- 
zation as  in  deep  accord  with  Anglo-Saxon  life. 
She  feels  that  she  is  li  Jiting  in  the  interests  of 
modern  civilization.  She  counts  herself  in  the 
forefront  of  modern  life.  This  feeling  in  Japan 
is  an  important  factor  in  ;he  problems  of  the  new 
era. 

The  teal  peril  to-day  to  Japan  and  to  eastern 
Asia  is  from  the  northern  bear.  Russian  greed 
and  aggression  supported  more  or  less  openly  by 
German  and  I-rench  ambitions  constitute  the  ob- 
jective pmnt  el  j.ip.inese  resistance.  Approval 
of  Japan  by  linglish-speaking  people  since  the 
opening  dl  the  war  has  aroused  in  the  minds  of 
the  people  a  sense  of  gratitude  and  Iriendliness, 


•  :< 


fi 


4 


>\  I 


1    I 


!i, 


120    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

proving  as  it  does  liiat  the  white  race  is  not  a 
united  foe  whom  they  must  fear.  Indeed  this 
sympathy  is  joining  them  to  the  West  in  closer 
unity  than  ever  before,  mailing  less  and  less  pos- 
sible the  much  talked  of  yellow  peril  led  by 
Japan. 

Whatever  the  results  of  the  war,  Japan  will 
never  return  to  her  self-sufficient  desire  for  isola- 
tion. She  is  too  consciously  inspired  by  her 
universal  international  intercourse  to  dream  of 
shutting  out  the  world  again  and  of  returning  to 
her  provincial  insular  life. 

A  marked  characteristic  of  the  period  ushered 
in  by  the  war  is  the  exaltation  of  moral  stand- 
ards.    The  material  prosperity  of  recent  decades 
had   made   creature   comforts   so   abundant  and 
financial  success  so  universal  as  to  have  lowered 
ethical  standards.     In  fact,  the  moral  soundness 
of  the  country   was    being  widely  questioned. 
The  struggle  which  has  involved  the  verv  exist- 
ence of  the  nation  has  checked  the  materialistic 
trend  and  called  forth  the  better  qualities  of  the 
people.     Self  h.is  been  set  aside,  and  consecra- 
tion to  a  noble  cause  has  ennobled  the  lives  of 
multitudes.     A  year  of   warfare  has  tested  the 
nation  to  her  advantage.     In  startling  contiasi  to 
Russia,  Japan  has  yet  to  discover  a  case  of  cor- 


A  New  Period 


121 


I 


luption  or  graft  in  connection  with  the  immense 
sums  thus  far  expended.  In  other  word.-,  the 
war  is  serving  to  strengthen  the  moral  fibre  and 
deepen  the  moral  life  of  Japan.  Heroes  made 
strong  by  strife  will  return  from  the  front  and 
their  influence  on  the  people  will  be  as  a  tonic. 

An  unexpected  effect  of  the  war  is  the  wide 
religious  "^entiment  aroused  by  it.  Men  and 
women  of  all  ranks  and  education,  contrary  to 
recent  custom,  have  taken  part  in  religious  rites. 
The  God  of  War  has  been  invoked  and  prayers 
for  success  have  been  offered,  not  only  in  private 
by  individuals,  but  officially  in  gatherings  at- 
tended by  the  highest  dignitaries  of  the  state. 
What  does  this  signify?  That  in  this  time  of 
struggle  for  national  existence  against  a  power- 
ful foe,  a  sense  of  man's  weakness  has  taken 
possession  of  the  nation.  The  war  has  turned 
the  minds  of  the  people  from  their  recent  tend- 
ency to  irreligion,  back  to  iheir  religious  needs. 
"  Life  here  is  not  all,"  they  argue,  "and  whether 
its  results  he  good  or  ill  depends  not  exclusively 
on  human  wills  and  deeds.  Heaven  has  a  will 
and  a  purpose  and  man  must  have  heaven's  help 
to  do  heaven's  will.  ' 

Shortly  before  the  war  an  eminent  Japanese 
preacher  declared  that  not  till  some  great  calam- 


f 


i 


i'(  < 


(   ! 


122     The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

ity  should  overtake  the  people  would  they  turn 
from  their  materialistic  views  of  life  to  find  re- 
ligion and  its  values.     This  religious  awakening 
has    begun    and    is    increasingly   manifest.     So 
marked  have  been  the  providences  in  the  conflict 
that  the  common  explanation  of  them,  given  by 
thinking  men,   has    been   "Ten-yu"   (Heaven's 
Help).     No  doubt  much  of  this  religious  feeling 
IS  superstition,  but  superstition  though  it  be,  it 
nevertheless    represents    religious    feeling,    ;ind 
there  is  more  hope  for  a  man  who  acknowledges 
dependence  on  some  divine  power  than  for  one 

whorounts  himself  superiorto  all  divine  lelations. 

The  development  of  religious  sentiment  in 
connection  with  the  war  might  reaso  lably  be 
supposed  to  crystallize  itself  about  the  national 
faiths,  with  a  lessening  of  interest  in  Christianity. 
On  the  contrary,  however,  with  rare  exceptions, 
our  churches  have  grown  and  their  spiritual  life 
has  deepened. 

In  a  word,  the  v\ar  is  developing  the  moral  and 
the  religious  life  of  the  people  and  in  proportion 
as  It  does  this  will  the  nation  abandon  lier  ^loss 
superstitions,  her  ancient  polytheism,  her  un- 
ethical religions,  and  lur  empty  ceremonials. 
'I  he  new  period  signilies  the  welding  of  J.ipan  to 
the  West  ui  the  deeper  life  of  the  Spirit. 


VIII 


JAPAN'S  RECENT  DEVELOPMENT 

War  with  China  declared  in  June,  1894,  was 
concluded  in  May,  1893.  and  Japan  began  at  once 
to  make  phenomenal  growth.  The  government 
led  by  inaugurating  a  generous  post  bellum 
program  of  military  and  naval  expansion.  She 
recognized  that  by  the  war  she  had  definitely 
stepped  into  the  world's  arena  and  should  pre- 
pare suitably  to  play  the  part  she  had  marked  out 
for  herself. 

She  determined  to  win  two  points  at  least; 
first,  recognition  by  western  nations  on  a  basis 
of  political  equality,  second,  effectual  leader- 
ship of  the  Onent.  And  she  decided  to  prepare  to 
fight  for  these  if  necessary.  Consequently,  with 
the  Chinese  war  indemnity  of  2SO,ooo,ckx3  yen  at 
her  disposal  she  laid  imtnediate  plans  lor  military 
and  naval  enlargement.  Battle-ships  were  or- 
dered from  western  builders.  Docks  were  con- 
structed and  shipbuilding  in  Japan  was  encour- 
aged. Subsidised  over-ocean  merchant  lines 
were    organized    and    lontinuously    devilopcd. 

123 


124    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

Arsenals,  military  schools,  barracks,  drill  grounds, 
hospital  corps,  artillery  and  cavalry,  with  every 
line  of  military  and  naval  equipment  were  im- 
proved and  increased.  At  strategic  points  along 
the  shore  powerful,  defensive  fortifications  were 
erected.  Native  inventions  were  fostered.  Fol- 
lowing the  methods  of  the  white  peoples  Japan 
thus  set  her  face  to  hold  her  own  place  and  to 
win  her  way  to  the  front  by  force  if  need  be. 

In  four  years  she  gained  the  (irst  of  her  main 
desires,  abolition  of  the  treaties  with  their  hated 
"  extra-territorial  "  clauses  and  through  this  abol- 
ition she  secured  full  possession  of  her  national 
sovereignty.      Instead,  however,  of  gaining  in- 
creased  leadership   in   the   Far  East,  she   found 
herself  visibly  losing  even  what  she  had.     Rus- 
sian diplomacy  in  China  was  slowly  wresting  this 
leadership   from   her,  for  Japanese  honesty  was 
no    match     for    the    bribe-giving    methods    of 
Russia.     It  gradually  became   evident   to  Japan 
that  if  she  were  to  maintain  even  her  existence 
as  an    independent    people    in  the  Far  East  she 
would  some  day  have  to  (ight  the  stealthy  bear 
from    the    North.      Such    were    the   conditions 
stimulating  the  nation  to  industrial  and  commer- 
cial as  well  as  to  naval  and  military  development. 
It  made  them  «alous  too  iti  their  study  of  foreign 


Japan's  Recent  Development        125 

tongues,  Russian  becoming  one  of  the  favourite 
languages. 

Industrial  and  commercial  life  flourished  beyond 
expectation  and  almost  beyond  belief.  Some 
idea  of  Japan's  recent  growth  may  be  secured  by 
an  examination  of  the  appended  table  of  com- 
parative statistics. 


i 

i 

I 

! 

\ 
i 


1894. 

1904. 

Population, 

41,000,000 

46,000,000 

business  companies, 

4>59S 

S,6i2 

Their  Capital, 

5309,000,000 

g6 1 3,000,000 

fapital  of  Banks, 

56,000,000 

270,000,000 

Foreign  Trade, 

115,000,000 

393,000,000 

Government  Income, 

49,000,000 

125,000,000 

Money  in  Circulation, 

138,000,000 

296,000,000 

Deposits  in  Savings  Banks, 

146,000,000 

1,494,000,000 

Clearing  House  Accounts  c 

f 

the  I'our  Main  Cities, 

126,000,000 

1,793,000,000 

Oil  Business, 

5,000,000 

16,000,000 

Tonnage  of  Steamships, 

1 20,000 

715,000 

"         "  Sailing  Ships, 

45,000 

340,000 

"        "  Navy, 

65,000 

275,000 

Miles  of  Railway, 

1,500 

5,600 

For  a  complete  statistical  study  of  Japan  noth- 
ing can  be  compared  to  "Japan  at  the  Beginning 
of  the  Twentieth  Century." 

The  national  scale  of  living  has  advanced  by 
leaps  and  bounds.  Salaries  are  from  fifty  to 
seventy-five  per  cent,  higher  than  they  were  a  dec- 


I' 


126  The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 
■■ide  ago.  The  middle  classes  eat  more  and  better 
food.  They  also  wear  better  clothing.  These 
they  consider  not  luxuries  but  necessities.  Ex- 
penses of  living  have  likewise  advanced  so  that, 
all  in  all,  Japan's  progress  during  the  past  decade 
has  been  phenomenal. 

This   glance    at  recent  development  in  Japan 
makes  clear  the  tremendous  advantage  she  has 
derived  from  international  intercourse.     Without 
it,  she  could  not  have  reached  her  present  attain- 
ment.    The  dreaded  white  peri!  has  proved  to  be 
■i  blessing,  resulting  in  the  rapid  development  of 
the  people  in  population,  general  intelligence  and 
energy,  in  rapidly  increasing  wealth,  ease  of  life 
and  general  expansion  of  power. 

But  we  must  note  that  this  issue  of  the  wnae 
peril  in  Japan  is  due  to  the  way  she  has  met  it. 
Were  her  railroads,  factories,  banks,  mmes,  and 
every  ente-pr!'.   den,a.-...!;ng  capital,   owned  by 
foreign  princes  and  Hnancia!  potentates,  as  is  the 
case    in   India,    could    Japan    have    prospered? 
Would  not  the  dividends  of  these  enterprises  have 
gone  to  swell  the  wealth  of  foreign  lands  leaving 
the  people  of  Japan  in  poverty  and  in  ignorance? 
Would  foreign  capitalists  or  military  rulers  have 
worked  for  the  develooment  of  the  country  as 
her  own  leaders  have  done  ?    And  with  the  same 


Japan's  Recent  Development        127 

leaders,  had  the  wealth  and  the  dividends  gone 
to  foreign  iands,  could  they  have  developed  their 
c  'ntry  as  they  have  been  able  to  do  through  ex- 
clusive native  ownership  of  native  industries? 


1- 


^1 


4 


;4^4^ 


IX 

JAPAN'S    ABILITY    TO    MAINTAIN    A    PRO- 
LONGED WAR 

No  question  has  been  more  anxiously  or  fre- 
qucnllv  asl<ed  me  since  my  return  to  the  country 
(September,  U)04)  than  that  of  Japan's  abihty  to 
carry  on  a  prolonged  war.  Cannot  Russia  crush 
her  by  mere  mass  of  numbers,  or  exhaust  her  by 
proIongKT^  the  CO. .('let  for  years?  1  am  no  ex- 
pert in  matters  financial  or  military.  But  what  I 
have  seeti  and  known  in  Japan  and  many  facts  of 
general  knowledge  justify  a  rather  definite  answer 
to  these  questions. 

Consider  first  Japan  s  a.>r  ^  to  put  up  a  strong 
hght.  She  has  over  -jaxxkkx)  men  between  the 
ages  of  twenty  and  forty-five  years,  all  of  whom 
she  could  call  into  active  service.  While  con- 
trolling the  sea,  .he  could  beyo.id  iloubt  put  ir.t.. 
ManclnuKi  betwi  en  two  and  three  million  fight- 
ing men. 

Ct  'ussia  do  anything  comparable  ?  Granted 
thai  she  can  double-tr.ick  her  entire  tr.ms-Sibe- 
tuin  railroad.     Can  slie  possibly  setid  to  the  front, 

128 


Ability  to  Maint 


11  n 


1 


ro 


ong 


cc 


1  w 


ur   12( 


9 


qu 


L'S- 


feed,  clothe  and  provide  with  arms  and  ammuni- 
tion as  many  men  as  Jap.ui  ^aii  mainUun  there? 
Only  railroad  experts  are  able  to  answer  this 
tion.  But  discussion  thus  (ar  published  makes  it 
appear  improbable.  In  view  then  of  Japan's  su- 
periority vvheie  the  number  of  troops  is  involved, 
the  c  ids  of  final  victory  are  strongly  with  Japan. 
Hut  Russia  has  such  a  tremendous  population  to 
draw  from,  say  the  doubt 


ers. 


Such 


persons  do 


not 


realize  that  however  Luge  Russia's  popula- 
tion may  be,  the  soldiers  cannot  light  without 
going  to  the  front.  Hei  lighting  power,  there- 
lore,  is  no  greater  than  the  carrying  capacity  of 
her  railroad.  They  b^r^'et,  (urthermore,  Iliat  the 
character,  intelligence  and  education  of  a  people 
count    far    more    ih.in  nu  re  numbers.      T 


mind. 


my 


.ipan's  pro.xiniity  to  the  lield,  added  to  thi 


high  ch.uactci  aiul  enthusiastic  p.itriotism  of  her 
people,    moie  than  offset  Russia's  ap- 


common 


parent  advant.iyes. 


At  t 


mill 


ie  time  of  our  own  ci\il  war  tweiitv-live 


ions  in  the  Nort 


t  sent  to  the  front  over  two 


million  sold 


icrs.     Japan  can  cert.iinly  do  as  well 


pri)poitii)natelv. 


Conider  next  J.ip.m's  ability  to  c.irry  on  a  long 
import. int    facts  must  be  kept  in 


war. 


>evera! 


m 


ind.     Japanese  farming  is  shared  by  men  and 


( ,' 


i! 


\\ 


.t 


;l  I 


130    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

women  together,  much  of  the  hardest  work  in 
connection  with  the  culture  of  rice,  the  staple 
product,  is  done  by  women.  They  know  there- 
fore how  to  farm.  The  farms,  too,  are  so  small 
and  the  work  so  largely  done  by  human  power, 
that  women  with  the  boys  and  older  men  are 
fully  competent  to  carry  on  the  entire  agriculture 
of  the  nation,  even  if  all  the  men  of  military  age 
should  be  drafted  into  service.  The  situation  in 
this  respect  is  different,  indeed,  from  that  which 
prevails  in  the  West,  especially  in  America  and 
bngland. 

Furthermore,  the  population  is  already  so  dense, 
increasing  also  at  the  rate  of  half  a  million  a  year, 
that  the  loss  by  death  of  several  hundred  thou- 
sand men  would  not  materially  cripple  the  power 
of  the  nation.  Japan  has,  moreover,  taken  her 
new  civilization  so  seriously  to  heart  and  is  ap- 
plying it  so  judiciously  that  the  death  rate  in  her 
war  is  small  beyond  belief,  astonishing  the 
world.  In  Ihirope.in  wars  bullets  destroy  one 
man  to  four  cl.iimiil  by  disease — whereas  up  to 
October,  11)0.1.  out  of  jo, (K)0  deaths  111  the  Japa- 
nese aimy  i6,cxk)  died  of  wounds  and  but  4,000 
from  illness.  Of  Japanese  wounded  over  ninety 
per  cent,  survive  and  within  .1  few  weeks  or 
months  the  major  part  of  these  are  ready  to  re- 


Ability  to  Maintain  a  Prolonged  War   131 

turn  10  the  front.  Such  facts  as  these  mean 
much  for  Japan.  Can  Russia  match  them  ?  Still 
further,  Japans  manufacturing  industries  are 
youi,^.  A  relatively  small  proportion  of  the 
people  are  consequ'-ntly  dependent  upon  them; 
and  smce  the  factory  hands  are  largely  young 
women  from  the  country,  if  men  are  excessively 
drafted  into  the  war,  these  women  will  readily 
return  to  their  homes  and  take  up  the  needed 
farming.  This  readjustment  of  the  workers  of 
the  nation  is  relatively  e^sy. 

At  the  outbreak  of  hostilities  it  was  assumed 
that  the  industries  would  necessarily  sutTer,  and 
without  waiting  to  he  brought  to  ruin,  many 
factories  immediately  shut  down.  As  the  war 
advanced,  however,  and  the  ir  lustrial  situation 
was  not  materially  disturbed,  many  ol  these  fac- 
tories reopened.  The  drain  of  war  upon  the 
coimii  v  thus  f.tr  has  not  perceptibly  affected  the 
industrial  situation. 

Similarly  in  regard  to  commerce,  so  long  as 
jip.m  cm  ic-f.iin  her  commarul  of  the  sea,  her 
"vrr  se.i  trade  will  not  be  seriously  ieopardi/ed. 
Il  1^  Ime  that  she  has  taken  all  her  merchant 
"laiiru-  for  transport  service,  and  this  is  no  slight 
l"^s  r.  the  earning  power  of  the  nation,  l-oreign 
vessels    have    stepped    in    nevertheless   and   are 


i 


■II 


132     The  White  Peril  in  the  Fur  East 

doing  a  large  business.  Should  the  Rus.,,an  fleet 
destroy  the  jap>i  navy  and  blockade  her  prin- 

cipal purts,  it  Uuuld  be  iiidtL'd  a  sorry  day  for 
Japan.  But  in  view  of  tiuu  own  bad  record 
such  a  contingency  is  now  cut  of  the  question. 
The  Japanese  navy  has  had  a  \e.irof  unexampled 
exper'ence.  She  has  entrenched  herself  in  suc- 
cess. What  hope  is  there  then  tor  the  inex- 
peiienccd  Baltic  or  IM.ick  Sea  lleets.'' 

Again,  the  n. it  ion  itselt,  pi(«duces  by  far  the 
larger  part  of  its  materials  for  the  war.  Immense 
arsenals,  foundiies,  factories,  and  dry-docks  are 
owned  and  lun  bv  the  go\ernmenl.  hnmense 
sums  of  money  aie  spent  in  tiie  piotluction  of 
weapons  anil  aminunilion,  ships,  and  tor[>edoes. 
Government  expenditures  in  salaries,  war  ex- 
penses and  in  the  I'ldduction  of  war  materials 
within  her  own  ti-rritory  return  .it  once  to  the 
people,  ciiablini;  them  to  live  and  to  p.iy  their 
taxes.  The  .ictu.il  .miount  of  mateii.il  destroyed 
in  (iglitin_i;  .uul  tlie  Ii>,uis  from  lorci',n  n.itions 
constitute  the  umI  loss  to  l.ti^.m  of  tlu'  war.  Tliis 
is  sm.ill  comp.iied  with  tlie  total  amount  ex- 
pended in  can  villi.';  it  on.  Ihesi'  considerations 
enable  us  to  sei'  \k\\\  it  is  tli.it,  though  tin 
government  m.iv  become  dee[^lv  involved  in 
debt    to    the    people  ihiough   public  loans,  the 


Ability  to  Maintain  ;i  Prolonged  War    133 


people    themselves  escape  starvation   or  bank- 
ruptcy. 

At  the  close  of  List  year  (1904)  bankers  and 
people  alike  were  coiij^natulating  themselves  on 
the  linaiicial  situation  alter  a  year  of  war.  The 
hankers  asserted  that  the  tinancial  situation  had 
lUit  been  materially  altered  by  il.  Ihe  people 
have  made  three  loans  to  the  government  with- 
out in  the  least  disturbing  the  money  market. 
The  nation  is  also  rejoicing  in  a  year  of  unusual 
crops,  rhe  iice  crop  lor  ujo",  was  twenty  per 
cent.  larger  than  the  average  of  recent  years 
vviiile  that  for  1904  was  twentv-live  per  cent, 
greater  than  the  aveiage.  While  tliere  is  of 
course  much  want  and  sutfering  .imong  the 
families  of  those  who  have  gone  to  the  front, 
the  vast  majontv  aie  enjoying  tinancial  pros- 
perity, and  are  abundantly  able,  as  one  banker 
said,  to  mak(  loans  twice  and  three  times  as 
large  .is  those  thus  far  nuide  without  seriously 
crippling  the  (inances  of  the  country. 

An  article  by  H.iron  K.ineko  in  the  October 
RtVh'U'  of  A'tt'/ru's  on  "How  Long  Can  Jap. in 
(i.inv  on  the  VV.ii,"  pieseiits  many  import. int 
'manual  det.iils  whi(  h  need  not  be  repeated  here. 
Hut  his  conclusion  th.il  |.ip.m  can  carry  on  the 
war  lor  three  yeais  at  least,  .ind  lor  livi-  if  iieces- 


I ,' 


I;  I 


r 


I 


*'i 


I  i 


ll 


134    llic  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

sary,  seems  eminently  reasonable  and  in  accord 
with  what  1  have  seen  of  the  spirit  and  the 
temper  of  the  people  and  of  their  agricultural, 
industrial,  commercial,  and  financial  conditions. 

No  foreigner  can  easily  appreciate  the  extent 
to  which  this  is  the  people's  war.  The  China- 
Japanese  war  was  practically  that  of  the  govern- 
ment. Id'  not  mean  to  imply  that  the  people 
were  in  tiie  least  opposed  to  it  or  thai  tlu;y  were 
indifferent.  They  appeared  fully  interested  and 
patriotic.  But  there  was  no  wide  popular  inter- 
est in  the  problem  previous  to  the  event.  The 
first  war  was,  in  a  sense,  unexpected,  save  pos- 
sibly to  those  of  the  inner  circle.  The  govern- 
ment led  and  the  people  loyally  followed. 

But  in  the  present  conflict  the  order  has  been 
reversed.  The  government  was,  indeed,  making 
every  possible  preparation  as  events  have  dem- 
onstrated; but  even  to  the  last,  she  also  did  all 
in  her  power  to  avert  it.  For  two  or  three  years 
and  particularly  for  the  year  preceding  the  out- 
bieak,  newspapers  and  magazines  were  eagerly 
discussing  Russian.  Chinese.  Manchurian  and 
Korean  questions.  The  dij-'iomacy  and  aggres- 
sions of  Russia  in  Manchuria  were  taken  seriously 
by  the  entire  people  who  blamed  the  gov'ernment 
for  apparent  indifTcrencc.     In  the  spring  of   1^0} 


Ability  to  Maintain  u  Prolonged  War  135 


seven  professors  of  the  Imperial  University  issued 
a  joint  work  of  much  strength  urging  the  im- 
portance of  pushing  Russia,  either  by  diplomacy 
or  by  force,  to  an  immediate  withdrawal  from 
Manchuria.  "Now,"  they  said,  "is  the  time. 
Now  or  never." 

When  the  Japanese  National  Diet  opened  in 
December,  1903,  an  ominous  event  occurred, 
instead  of  making  the  usual  formal  reply  to  the 
opening  Imperial  address,  the  President  of  the 
Diet  addressed  the  Throne  in  the  name  of  the 
House  virtually  impeaching  the  cabinet  for  its 
procrastinating  diplomacy  with  Russia.  Poli- 
ticians were  eager  to  force  Russia  to  an  im- 
mediate acceptance  of  Japan's  terms  in  regard  to 
Korea  and  Manchuria.  They  were  ready  for 
war  at  once.  The  Emperor  and  his  cabinet,  still 
hoping  to  avoid  so  dreadful  a  conllict  as  would 
be  necessitated  by  war  with  Russia,  sent  the 
Diet  back  for  a  new  election  unwilling  to  sever 
diplomatic  relations  through  the  act  of  an  im- 
petuous pi'rliament.  The  event,  however, 
throws  ii^,'..i  on  the  general  attitude  of  the  peo- 
ple and  their  readiness  to  go  to  war. 

Fhe  present  is  the  first  people's  war  in  the 
history  of  Japan.  Hitherto,  Japan's  wars  have 
been  cnrrird  on  by  the  samurai,  the  average  man 


i 


w 


/ 


13^)    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

in  the  street,  the  shop  or  on  the  farm,  having 
had  not  only  nothing  to  say  hut  nothing  to  do, 
except  to  provide  tiie  funds  and  to  endure  the 
ills  of  war.  The  present  is  the  Trst  war  in  which 
the  entire  nation  has  had  opportunity  to  display 
its  patriotism,  and  without  doubt  this  fact  is  one 
of  Japan's  strong  assets.  It  gives  good  reason 
for  believing  that  the  people  will  not  consent  to 
cease  their  lighting  until  they  have  accomplished 
their  end.  The  government  is  to-day  the 
spokesman  of  the  people  as  never  before  in  any 
previous  age.  Accordingly  it  may  with  reason 
count  on  every  sacrifice  essential  to  success. 
How  long,  then,  can  j.ipan  continue  the  war? 
Until  she  wins  or  until  she  is  ruined.  There  is 
no  middle  ground. 

The  natural  counter  question  of  great  im- 
portance is,  how  long  can  Russia  carry  on  the 
war.?  Not  being  a  specialist  on  Russian  affairs, 
I  offer  no  specific  discussion,  but  if  appearances 
are  correct.  Russia's  agricultural,  industrial, 
financial,  national  and  temperamental  ability  to 
carry  on  a  long  war  are  vastly  inferior  to  those  of 
Japan.  Slie  is  beset  with  internal  disorders  and 
disloyalty.  Corruption  apparently  well  nigh  uni- 
versal, depletes  her  coffers  .ind  paralyzes  her 
power.     The  w.ir  is  not  of  the  people  but  rather 


^^ 


Ability  to  Maintain  a  Prolonged  War  137 

of  a  small  bureaucratic  coterie.  Famine,  poverty 
and  disease,  riot  and  rebellion  stalk  through  the 
land,  while  the  possibility  of  organized  or  effi- 
cient remedy  seems  beyond  the  power  of  the 
rulers.  How  long  can  Russia  carry  on  the  war  ? 
Only  so  long  as  the  bureaucracy  can  keep  its  seat 
in  the  saddle,  and  can  persuade  European  preju- 
dice, and  jealous  fear  of  Japan  to  lend  the  needed 
millions  for  plunder  of  Russian  princes  and  for 
powder  for  Russian  rifles. 


t ; 


w  1 


■  I 


I    ' 


w 


THE  CAUSES  OF  THE  WAR 

Three  charges  have  been  made  against  Japan. 
She  is  said  to  have  sought  this  war  merely  to 
test  her  military  and  naval  equipment.  As  in 
ancient  times  a  samurai  might  step  into  the  street 
at  night  and  slash  unarmed  men,  merely  to  test 
a  new  sword,  so  New  Japan  has  desir'  '  io  test 
her  new  weapons.  This,  say  some,  is  the  real 
cause  of  the  war.  The  mere  denial  of  the  asser- 
tion is  surely  sufficient. 

Others  claim  that  Japan  has  been  cherishing 
dreams  of  Empire;  that  she  has  wished  to  bring 
Korea  and  Manchuria,  and  even  China  under  her 
sway,  reviving  thus  the  plans  made  by  Hide- 
yoshi,  three  hundred  years  ago.  More  plausible 
than  the  last,  this  claim  is,  nevertheless,  equally 
at  fault.  Empire  for  the  sake  of  glory  is  the  last 
consideration  in  the  Japanese  mind. 

A  charge  more  allied  to  fact  yet  essentially 
missing  the  truth  is  the  following:  Japan's  pop- 
ulation grows  so  fast  that  she  is  compelled  to 
find  new  territory  on  which  to  expand.     She  has 

138 


% 


The  Causes  ot  the  War 


139 


resorted  to  war,  therefore,  for  the  sake  of  seizing 
Korea  and  Manchuria  and  holding  them  as 
regions  into  which  her  surplus  population  may 
pour. 

Beyond  question  Japan's  people  are  multij- ly- 
ing rapidly.  Although  during  the  first  three- 
quarters  of  the  nineteenth  century  the  population 
gained  but  7,000,000,  during  the  last  quarter, 
owing  to  modern  hygiene  and  medical  skill,  the 
gain  has  been  1 1,000,000,  bringing  the  population 
up  from  34,000,000  in  1875  to  4^,000,000  in  1900. 
A  natural  question  is,  how  has  this  vast  increase 
of  population  been  fed?  This  has  been  accom- 
plished in  part,  though  only  in  part,  by  extension 
in  agriculture.  Japan  is  so  mountainous  how- 
ever, that  but  one-thirteenth  of  her  surface  is 
under  cultivation.  In  largely  increasing  quan- 
tities she  is  therefore  importing  her  food  from 
Asia— especially  from  Korea  and  Manchuria. 
Within  twenty  years  this  trade  has  increased  in 
value  from  next  to  nothing  to  $80,000,000  in 
1903,  representing  more  than  half  her  entire  im- 
ports. Her  ever  increasing  dependence  on  the 
continent  of  Asia  for  food  stuffs  and  raw  ma- 
terial is  a  fact  of  grave  importance,  and  without 
doubt  it  has  its  bearing  on  the  causes  of  the  war. 
But  the  assertion  that  Japan  has  gone  into  the 


\     I 


140    Tlif  White  Peril  in  tlie  Far  East 

war  for  the  sake  of  seizing  continental  territory 
upon  which  her  people  may  have  room  to  ex- 
pand is  wholly  aside  from  the  facts. 

The  real  causes  of  the  war  are  three,  one  pri- 
mary and  two  secondary,  the  latter  exerting, 
nevertheless,  a  powerful  influence.  Asi<  any  intel- 
ligent Japanese  why  they  are  fighting  to-day  and 
the  answer  will  undoubtedly  be:— "We  are 
fighting  for  our  national  existences.  We  are  also 
fighting  for  the  permanent  peace  and  welfare  of 
the  Far  East  and  in  behalf  of  honest  international 
diplomacy." 

Japan  tights  first  and  foremost  for  her  right  to 
exist  as  an  independent  nation.  We  in  America 
faintly  appreciate  the  gravity  of  the  peril  which 
threatens  her  by  reason  of  Russian  expansion. 

Beginning  in  the  sixteenth  century  and  con- 
tinuing through  the  eighteenth  Russia  gradually 
absorbed,  by  fighting  and  by  intrigue  the  whole  of 
Siberia  from  the  Ural  Mountains  in  the  west  to 
the  Pacific  Ocean  on  the  east,  an  area  of  about 
3.000,000  square  miles,  having  a  population  to- 
day of  about  0,000  ax),  Towards  the  middle  of 
the  nineteenth  century  she  came  into  repeated 
small  conflicts  with  Japan  over  the  lisheries  in 
the  Okhotsk  Sea  which  are  now  known  as  the 
most  valuable  in  the  world.     In  1X71  Russia  sue- 


The  Causes  of  the  War 


141 


ceeded  in  driv  4  Japan  out  of  Saghalien,  that 
large  island  which,  by  every  consideration, 
should  belong  to  Japan  and  which  she  had  always 
counted  as  hers.  A  treaty  was  made  to  be  sure, 
whereby  the  Kurile  Islands  were  recognized  by 
Russia  as  belonging  to  Japan ;  yet  to  this  day  there 
is  constant  friction  and  ill  will,  with  frequent 
collision  between  the  Japanese  and  Russians  in 
those  waters.  The  study  of  maps  and  of  history 
will  show  that  Saghalien  belongs  as  naturally  to 
Japan  as  do  the  Kurile  islands  and  Y.  zo.  De- 
pendent as  Japan  is  and  always  must  be  on  the 
products  of  the  sea,  she  should  own  those  shores 
for  the  sake  of  freely  fishing  in  those  waters. 
Recently  after  a  storm,  banks  of  dead  fish  from 
four  to  five  feet  deep  were  found  along  the  coast. 
These  are  of  inestimable  value  to  Japan  as  a  fer- 
tilizer, and  with  ground  cultivated  as  hers  has 
been  for  centuries,  she  can  do  nothing  without 
fertilization.  From  every  point  of  view,  then, 
Russian  possession  of  Saghalien  has  been  a  ca- 
lamity to  Japan. 

H.iving  possessed  herself  of  Siberia,  Russian 
expansion  came  to  a  temporary  halt.  Internal 
commotions  .md  material  domination  of  Siberia 
consumed  her  energies  for  a  season. 

In  developing  this  tenitory,  the  trans-Siberian 


t) 


{1^ 


IS  a 
•I 


I  i 


f 


I 

i  I 


'^M 


'{' 


142    The  White  Peril  in  .he  Far  East 

Railway  was  first  conceived,  then  constructed 
with  incalculable  outlay  of  expense  in  men  and 
money.  Events  have  shown  that  the  possession 
of  large  rights  in  China  with  its  involved  domi- 
nant influence  in  the  Far  East  has  been  counted 
by  Russian  statesmen  as  a  part  of  Russia's  des- 
tiny. For  its  attainment,  therefore,  they  have 
reckoned  no  expense  too  great. 

When,  then,  at  the  close  of  Japan's  conflict 
with  China.  Rus'^ia  saw  her  prospects  vanishing 
with  Japan's  proposal  to  retain  Port  Arthur  and 
the  Liaotung  Peninsula,  she  held  consultations 
with  Germany  and  France  in  regard  to  the  Far 
East,  and  jointly  with  these  powers  presented 
to  Japan  a  peremptory  demand  that  she  strike 
out  the  clauses  pertaining  to  Port  Arthur.  It  has 
become  evident  since  then  that  Russia  herself 
had  at  the  time  projects  involving  that  harbour 
with  its  splendid  port  and  its  tremendous  possi- 
bilities as  a  fortress.  "  In  the  interest  of  the 
peace  of  the  Orii-nt."  those  military  empires  of 
Europe  said,  "  we  ask  you  to  return  Port  Ailhur 
to  Chin,i,  "  and  to  assure  Japan  of  the  insistence 
of  their  request  and  of  the  need  for  immediate 
acquiescence,  thev  massed  their  (leets  in  the  Gulf 
of  Pechili,  and  i  irared  their  decks  for  action, 
plainly  intimating  their  pin  pose,  should  J.ipan  re- 


The  Causes  of  the  War 


! 


143 


fuse  compliance.     Had  she  declined  to  yield,  the 
entire  Japanese  navy  would  have  been  sent  to  the 
bottom  and  Japan  s  helpless  ports  would  have 
been    bombarded.      Japanese  statesmen   appre- 
ciatec^  the  situation,  and  replied,  "  In  the  interests 
of  the  peace  of  the  Orient  we  accede  to  your  re- 
quest     We  return  Port  Arthur  to  China."     But 
the  Japanese  government  made  no  report  to  the 
nation  of  that  transaction.     Indeed,  the  press  was 
muzzled.     All  reference  to  the  humiliation  was 
forbidden.     Those  in  authority  knew   too  well 
the  nature  of  the  indignation  which  would  have 
swept  the  nation  had  free  information  been  given 
and  free  vent  allowed  to  the  sense  of  national 
outrage.     In  time,  however,  the  facts  did  become 
known,  and  Ihey  have  long  since  become  public 
property.     The    knowledge  of   this  humiliation 
and  of  the  great  material  injury  inflicted  upon  the 
nation   has   sunk   deep   into   the  national  mind. 
Kven  at  the  time,  as  already  mentioned,  over  one 
hundred  oflicers  and  men  who  had  fought  to  cap- 
ture  I'ort  Arthur  committed  suicide,     in  doing 
this,    they    followed    the    ancient    code   of   the 
Siimutai,  thus  putting  on  permanent  record  their 
sense  of  the  indignity  suffered  bv  Japan.     Better 
to  die  than  to  live  insulted  wi.hout  possibility  of 
redress. 


IM 


(' 


It 


144    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

Within  three  years  uf  the  "  retrocession  of  the 
Liaotung  Peninsula,"  Russia,  by  insidious  diplo- 
macy and,  as  many  say,  with  lavish  gifts  to  cor- 
rupt Chinese  officials,  secured  from  China  the 
coveted  prize.  Large  concessions  in  connection 
with  the  railroad  through  Manchuria  and  a  second 
fine  port,  Dalny,  some  twenty-five  miles  to  the 
east  of  Port  Arthur,  were  then  acquired  in  rapid 
succession.  Though  leased  to  her  for  a  period  of 
only  twenty-five  years,  Russia  proceeded  to  for- 
tify Port  Arthur  and  to  provide  it  with  immense 
docks,  dry  docks  and  arsenals,  as  though  it  were 
to  be  a  permanent  possession.  At  Dalny,  like- 
wise, she  expended  millions  of  dollars  in  im- 
provements, constructing  a  magnificent  city  com- 
pletely equipped  as  a  great  commercial  port. 
This  was  to  be  the  terminus  of  her  trans-Sibe- 
rian railway  and  for  all  commercial  purposes, 
while  Port  Arthur  was  to  be  the  military  and 
naval  centre  of  her  Oriental  Umpire. 

The  Boxer  upiising  iti  ukx)  was  a  godsend  to 
Russian  plans,  laking  advatu.ige  of  the  oppor- 
tunity she  poured  thousands  of  troops  into  Man- 
churia, and  soon  had  everything  under  fair  con- 
ttol.  Wlu'ii  the  Moxers  were  overthrown  and 
the  armies  )f  other  nations  withdrew  from  (^hina, 
Russia  remained  m  Manchuria,  at  the  same  time 


The  Causes  of  the  War  jir 

increasing  her  lorces  there.  Asked  by  other 
nations  when  she  phmned  to  withdraw,  dates 
were  named  only  to  be  ignored.  Russian  occu- 
pancy of  Manchuria  enabled  her  to  negotiate 
treaties  with  China  much  to  her  hking.  Among 
the  more  important  was  the  arrangement  th.it  all 
enterprises  in  Manchuria  should  be  exclusively 
given  to  Russian  subjects. 

Had  Russia  confined  her  greed  to  Manchuria 
>t   IS  more  than  doubtful  whether  Japan  would 
have  felt  compelled  to  interfere.     But  Russia  had 
set  her  eyes  on  that  tottering  kingdom  of  Korea 
with  Its  fine  ports  and  its  unmeasured  potentiali- 
ties for  both  peace  and  war.     Intrigues  began  in 
tl-e  latter  nineties;  concessions  on  the  Yalu  were 
secured  by  Russian  dukes;  plans  were  laid  for  a 
Kussian  railroad  through  Korea  to  the  southern 
port.  Masampo.     Negotiations   were  entered  on 
ior  securing  that  splendid  harbour,  a  harbour  large 
enough  to  float  the  navies  of  the  world  and  ca- 
pable of  such   defensive  works  as  to  make  it  a 
second  Port  Arthur.     The  meaning  of  ..II  this  was 
plain.     Russia  meant  tc.  make  Masampo  a  third 
""htary  and  naval  centre  loy  her  Oriental  Empire 
'<"t    Masampo    is    .carcelv    fifty   miles    from 
i'-Pan.     Powerful    Russi.in    fleets   in    Masampo 
•'"'J  Arthur  and  Vladivostock  could  strike  Japan 


kH 


I) 


V\ 


I  \ 


146    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

by  a  few  hours'  sail  any  dark  night.  To  protect 
herself  from  such  a  foe,  so  established,  and  so 
inscrupulous,  Japan  would  need  a  licet  of  enor- 
mous size  and  in  constant  readiness.  That  Rus- 
sian ambition  was  limited  to  the  possession  of 
Manchuria  and  Korea  few  would  be  so  foolish  as 
to  imagine.  That  she  definitely  planned  to  in- 
clude Japan  in  the  area  of  her  rule,  1  do  not  affirm, 
but  i  do  affirm  that  she  proposed  such  control  of 
Manchuria  and  Korea  as  completely  to  eliminate 
Japan  as  a  political  factor  in  the  Far  East.  She 
planned  such  possession  of  all  strategic  points  as 
to  hold  Japan  entirely  within  her  power  and  th^ 
in  preparation  for  the  last  great  step  in  her  plans 
of  Oriental  Empire,  the  partition  of  China.  She 
purposed  to  make  Japan's  word  impotent  and  her 
influence  nil  when  the  moment  came  for  the  set- 
tlement of  the  destinies  of  China  by  the  "Powers." 
"In  the  interests  of  the  peace  of  the  Far  East " 
Russia  was  preparing  to  throttle  Japan  both  by 
commercial  supremacy  and  by  brute  for*.e. 

Japanese  statesmen  saw  the  lianger  clearly.  In 
the  spring  of  ujoi  Russia  Jelinitely  included 
Korea  in  her  omnivorous  pl.ms.  She  sent  her 
troops  in  citizens'  clothing  across  the  Yalu,  and 
began  to  biild  barracks  and  f-nts  on  Kore.in  soil. 
Japanese  statesmen  recognized  the  gravity  of  the 


The  Causes  of  the  War 


itLiation  at  one 


'47 


ce,  and  opened  diplomatic 


spondence  with  St.  Petersburg.     J 
needs  with  precision,  and  no 


corre- 


th 


e  moderation  and  justice  of 
she  made. 

Her  nronn?  il  v 


iipan  stated  her 
one  can  question 


th 


e  request  which 


'roposal  was  couched  in  a  note  with  six 
clauses,  of  which  the  first  and  second  are  the  vital 
ones  ard  read  as  follows: 

'■A  mut.Ml  engagement  to  respect  the 
independence  and  territorial  integrity  of  the 
Ch-nese  and  Kore.;-  Empires  and  to  maintain 
the  prmciple  of  equal  opportunity  for  the  com- 
nierce  and  industry  of  all  nations  in  those 
countries. 

^-     A  reciprocal  recognition  of  Japan's  prepon- 
dera.uig  interests  in  Korea  and  Russia's  special 

■nterests  in  Manchuria  and  of  the  right  Of  apan 
to  take  ,n  Korea  and  of  Russia  to  take  in  Man- 
c hur.a.  such  measures  as  may  be  necessary  for 
'  e    protection   of  their   respective   interests   as 

••c-edchned.  subject  however,  to  the  provisions 
or  Ariicle  i . 

'"•'  ^^""^'-  Japan  asked   Russia  to  recognise 
]''  '^■'■^"""^"  int^'KHtv  o,   ,Iu-  oriental  eu,p,res 
'h^'PnncipIeofth,  -op,,,  j„„,..^„^^,  „^^_ 

';--''-K-n.m.s,sof.|,,p.,  ,,n<^^^^^ 
^'icherseK  was  ready  .,.,ecoon,ze  those.,.   Rus- 


>' 


i" 

in 

k   . 
ll!  •  i 


!(     \ 


148    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

sia  in  Manchuria.     How  moderate  and  how  fair! 

Not  a  word  about  Port  Arthur  and  its  tremendous 

fortifications,  and  no  reference  to  the  treachery 

of  the  previous  decade. 

What   reply   did   Russia   make  ?    After  eight 

weeks  of  delay,  a  reply  was  given  in  Tokyo.     It 

proposed: — 

I.  Mutual  engagement  to  respect  the  inde- 
pendence and  territorial  integrity  of 
Korea. 

Recognition  by  Russia  of  Japan's  pre- 
ponderating interests  in  Korea,  and  the 
right  of  Japan  to  give  advice  and  assist- 
ance to  Korea  tending  to  improve  the 
civil  adininistration  of  the  Empire  with- 
out infringing  the  stipulations  of  Arti- 
cle 1. 

Hngagement  on  the  part  of  Russia  not  to 
impede  the  commercial  and  industrial 
undertakings  of  Japan  in  Korea. 

Mutual  engagement  not  to  use  any  part  of 
Korea  for  strategical  purposes. 

Provisions  for  a  neutral  zone  in  Korea. 

Recognition  by  Japan  of  Manchuria  and  its 
litoral  as  in  all  respects  outside  her 
sphere  of  interest. 


2. 


)■ 


4- 

s. 


Not  a  word  here  in  regard  to  the  integrity  of 
Chinese  territory,  the  "open  tioor"  in  Manchuria, 
or  Japan's  commercial  interests  there,  though  at 
the  same  time  implying  that  Japan  should  have 
no  inlUience  on  Korean  military  matters  (cf. 
section  2). 


The  Causes  of  the  War 


149 


Diplomatic  correspondence  was  carried  on  for 
months  (July  to  February),  Russian  replies  being 
made  with  exasperating  delay.  Throughout  the 
diplomatic  contest  neither  side  showed  the 
slightest  disposition  to  yield  a  point.  Russia 
^  was  willing  neither  to  recognize  Japan's  rights 

in  Manchuria  nor  to  guarantee  the  integrity  of 
China.    Japan  was  unwilling  to  grant  Russia's 
demands.     During  those  months,  reports  were 
continually  sent  to   the  world   through    Berlin, 
Paris,  Vienna  and  London  that  the  negotiations 
were  progressing  well;    and  that  peace  would 
surely  be  the  issue.     But  at  the  same  time,  tens 
of  thousands  of  Russian  troops  were  rushed  to 
the    front;    while    ships    and  stores  and   large 
amounts  of  coal  and  ammunition  were  hurried 
over  land  and  sea  to  Port  Arthur  and  Vladivos- 
tock.     Indeed,  during  the  eight  months  preced- 
ing the  outbreak  of  war.  Russia  sent  to  the  Far 
East  over  40,000  troops  and  nineteen  vessels  of 
various    descriptions    aggregating    S^.cxxj  tons 
which  with  the  vessels  already  in  the  east,  gave 
her  a  navy  of  174.000  tons  with  forty  torpedo 
destroyers,  while  Japan's  navv  aggrc-..ted  2-^,  . 
('oo  tons  with  sixty-live  torpedo  destroyers      |,i 
addition   to  these  "pc.Kc"  preparations,   Russia 
-rdercd  to  the  front  an  additional  ncct  aggregatin-r 


li 


n 


Ml 
.  t'    . 

III  ' 


! ,       ■    I 


150    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

30,000  ions.  This  was  on  the  way  thither  when 
war  broke  out.  Although  Japan  did  not  break 
off  diplomatic  relations  until  the  6th  of  February 
nor  fire  the  first  gun  until  February  8,  1904,  on 
the  2 1  St  of  January,  two  battalions  of  infantry 
were  sent  from  Port  Arthur  to  the  Yalu,  and  on 
the  28th  Admiral  Alexif  gave  orders  to  all  the 
forces  there  to  prepare  for  war.  On  Febru- 
ary 1st,  all  Japanese  weic  requested  to  leave 
Vladivostock  in  view  of  the  danger  of  war. 
Evidently  Russia  planned,  by  her  warlike  prep- 
arations, to  overawe  Japan.  She  did  not  dream 
that  so  small  and  ignorant  and  incompetent  a 
country,  as  she  supposed  Japan  to  be,  would 
dare  draw  sword  against  one  so  large,  so  strong 
and  well  prepared  as  she  had  persuaded  the 
world  to  believe  that  she  herself  was.  Russian 
expansion  through  disingenuous  treaties,  by  bluff 
and  sometimes  by  force  since  iSqs.  was  well 
known  throughout  Japan.  Local  papers  re- 
ported in  detail  every  inove.  The  failure  of 
Japan's  diplomatic  correspondence  with  St. 
IVtcrsbiirg  was  also  widely  known  to  the  peo- 
ple. th()u;;h  of  course  the  documents  were  not 
made  public  until  after  war  had  been  declared. 
The  nation  understood  the  situation.  It  was 
convinced  that  national  existence  was  at  stake 


I 


The  Causes  of  the  War 


151 


and  that  rzw  was  the  time  to  save  herself.  Let 
Russia  once  entrench  herself  in  Masampo,  as  she 
had  already  done  in  Port  Arthur  and  Manchuria, 
and  not  only  Chinas  future  but  that  of  Japan  as 
well,  would  be  in  the  hollow  of  Russia's  hand. 
As  to  what  that  would  ultimately  signify,  the 
daily  press  in  Japan  had  no  question;  for  tales  of 
Poland  and  Finland  had  been  widely  told. 

For  a  detailed  statement  of  the  diplomatic  re- 
lations leading  to  the  war,  no  more  careful  or 
impartial  statement  can  probably  be  found  than 
Mr.  Asakawa's  important  work  entitled  "The 
Russo-Japanese  Conflict." 

The  direct  cause  of  the  war,  then,  has  been 
Russia's  ambition  for  Oriental  Empire,  bearing 
down    in   its   progress   Manchuria,    Korea,    and 
ultimately  Japan  herself.     This  process  of  Rus- 
sian expansion  has  been  steadfastly  pushed,  and 
ruthlessly.     It  has  brought  such  overwhelming 
destruction    to   innocent   people   in   Siberia  and 
Manchuria;  it  has  heaped  such  insult   and  such 
humiliation    upon    Japan    herself    and   it  is  so 
powerful    in    crushing    the    national    life    of  a 
conquered    people,    that    the    determination    of 
Japan  to  save  herself  from  their  fate  has  thrilled 
the  world  into  sympathy. 

Two  minor  causes  contributmg  to   this  war 


il 


I  I 


152    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

have  been  Japan's   wholly  altruistic   nioi"  r   of 
good-will  to  Korea  and  10  China  and  her  desire 
to    stand    for    honest    straightforward    diplo- 
macy.    A  later  chapter  will  consider  what  Rus- 
sian victory  would  signify  in  the   Orient.     To 
avert  that  disaster,  Japan   was   ready   to  light. 
For  the  Japanese  are  at  heart  a  grateful  people. 
They  realize  that  they  have  learned  of   China. 
She  has  been  their  teacher  and  now,  like  true 
disciples,    they  are  ready  to  defend   her  from 
threatening    destruction.     To    maintain   the  in- 
tegrity   of    China,   Japan    is    willing    to    fight. 
Whether  she  would  have  waged  this  war  merely 
in  defense  of  her  honour  is  an  academic  question 
which  we  need  not  consider,  but  it  is  fair  to  say 
that  no   country  today  is   so  sensitive  to  con- 
siderations of  honour  as  is  Japan.     She  has  been 
brought  to  the  war  by  the  stern  necessities  of 
life.     She  has  been  insulted  and  humiliated  be- 
fore the  world,  robbed  of  her  rights,  her  exist- 
ence as  a  nation  imperilled.     Her  honest  diplo- 
macy    has    been     neglected,    disregarded    and 
evaded.      Deceitful,    time-consuming    responses 
were  given  to  her;  and  when  she  could  endure 
no  more,  self-respect  and  self-preservation  both 
demanded  that  she  smite  ilie  lying  tongue  and 
strike  the  rapacious  disturber  of  the  peace  of  the 


The  Causes  of  the  War  i  ro 

Orient.-the  disturber  who  claimed  to  carry  to 
the  heathen  the  religion  of  the  Christ. 

The  white  peril  as  embodied  m  Russia  assumes 
Its  worst  form  for  it  adds  hypocrisy  to  aggres- 
sive greed,  and  cloaks  its  crimes  with  the  very 
religion  which  condemns  then.. 


.  f 


i 


',  ;i 


'/  ■ 


I!' 


X! 
THE  REAL  MEANING  OF  THE  WAR 

In  conversation  the  other  day,  a  friend  said: 
"While  of  course  Russian  victory  would  mean 
great  loss  to  Japan,  in  the  long  run  would  it  not 
be  better  for  the  Far  East  as  a  whole  that  Russia 
prevail,  hastening  thus  the  partition  of  China,  the 
destruction  of  her  anti-foreign  conservitism,  and 
the  development  of  those  vast  sources  of  natural 
wealth  which  woula  follow  the  white  man's 
possession  and  rule  of  China  ?  " 

Even  amoi.g  the  v.ell-wishers  of  japan  there 
are  those  who,  while  hoping  that  for  her  own 
sake  she  may  win,  still  feel  that  Russian  victory 
is  more  likeiy  to  result  in  blessings  for  China. 
Such  views  reveal  an  astonishing  ignorance  alike 
of  Japan  and  of  Russia,  of  what  the  two  coun- 
tries respect!  vciv  stand  for,  and  of  their  mental 
attitude  towards  other  races.  The  real  meaning 
of  the  war  ..innnt  be  adequately  appreciated  un- 
til these  differences  have  been  studied  carefully. 

If,  as  many  assert,  Japan  is  at  heart  unredeem- 
cdly  oriental  and  if  her  occidental  civilization  is  a 

154 


Thr  Real  Meaning  of  the  War     155 

mere  veneer,  which  may  be  discarded  in  a  mo- 
ment, then  indeed  victory  for  Japan  might  be  an 
ominous  event.  It  might  be  the  occasion  lor 
elation,  self-gratulation  and  an  anti-foreign  re- 
action. Japan's  leadership  in  China  might  then 
be  utihzed  for  uniting  orient  against  Occident, 
and  the  result  might  prove  to  be  the  so-called 
yellow  peril. 

But  if,   as  has  been  contended   in   an  earlier 
chapter  and  in  my  "  Evolution  of  the  Japanese," 
Japan's  recent  development  is  real,  if  occidental 
civilization  has  struck  deep  roots  into  Japan's  en- 
tire national  life,  if  the  new  social  order  is  beget- 
ting a  new  psychic  life,  then  the  beneficial  results 
to  the  Far  East  of  Japanese  victory  can  hardly  be 
exaggerated.     As  already  indicated  Japan  stanus 
for  the  essentials   of  Anglo-Saxon  civilization. 
She  emphasizes  the  inherent  value  and  rights  of 
the  individual,  his  freedom  of  travel,  of  occupa- 
tion, of  intellectual  and  religious  belief,  of  uni- 
versal education  and  of  representative  govern- 
ment.    In  addition  Japan  stands  for  the  modern 
scientific  world-view,   v/hich  slie  teaches  in  all 
licr  schools.     This  means  gradual  emancipation 
liom  all  forms  of  superstition.     It  means  also 
that  the  latest  results  of  man's  best  knowledge 
are    to    be  applied   to  promoting  his   welfare. 


M 


\' 


n; 


li;,;; 


^fl* 


156    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

Japan  stands  also  for  free  industrial  and  commer- 
cial intercourse,  for  tlie  so-called  "open  door." 
And  tinally,  she  stands  for  the  territorial  integrity 
of  China,  .'or  giving  hor  free  opportunity  to  ap- 
propriate western  modes  of  thought  and  freedom 
to  direct  the  rate  of  the  development  of  her 
natural  resources. 

What  now  does  victory  for  Japan  mean?    K 
means  first  of  all  the  thwarting,  for  a  season  at 
least,    of   Russia's   dreams   of  Oriental   Empire. 
And  by  the  time  these  dreams  revive,  China  may 
be  able  to  assist  in  their  permanent  destruction. 
Japanese    victory    meanb    a    notice    served    on 
Germany  and   I'lance  that  no  interference  with 
China   will    be    tolerated.     To   China    it  means 
opportunity  for  self- directed  developmuit  along 
modern    paths,  a   tedious   journey   for  so  huge 
a  nation,  yet  -)ne  which  must  be  travelled  freely  if 
it  is  to  be  si  .jstantial.     Japan's  rapid  develop- 
ment  has  been  valu.ible  because  so  completely 
self-directed.     Facts  already  given  as  to  Chinese 
students  in  J.ipan  and  Japanese  teachers  in  China, 
show  that  J.iiMd  has.   sMue  the  Chino-Japaiiesc 
v.'ar,  acquired  gi  at  inlliKMice  111  Chin.i.     Victory 
now  signilies  a   ilmiIoLI,  .1   luindiedloUl  increase 
of   th  It    iiinueiuc,   and   such    powi-r    nu.iiis  the 
wide  (stalilishinciit  in  China  of  occidental  leirn- 


The  Ktal  Meaning  of  the  War      157 


I 


ing  and  in  due  lime  its  application  by  the  Chinese 
themstlves  to  industrial  and  commercial  expan- 
sion, especially  to  the  development  u(  her  vast 
natural  wealth.  This  in  turn  will  mean  increas- 
ing wealth  for  China,  and  corresponding  ability 
for  self-development. 

Japanese  intluence  in  that  country  also  means 
freedom  of  religious  belief  and  opportunity  for 
unimpeded  Chnsti.ui  woik.  Japan  lias  learned 
that  the  propaganda  of  non-political  Christianity 
is  wholly  beneficial,  making  immoral  citizens, 
moral;  dishonest  ones,  honest.  The  sociological 
importance  to  China  of  free  ana  pure  Christian 
propaganda  is  completely  ignored  by  the  average 
student  of  oriental  ailairs.  But  beyond  dispute 
IS  it  that  no  more  potent  though  silent  influence 
IS  exerted  in  that  land  ior  the  removal  of  race 
misunderstandings  and  rejudices  and  for  the 
upbuilding  of  an  era  of  good- will  between  the 
white  man  and  the  yellow  than  that  exerted  by 
Protestant  missions.  Japan  is  profoundly  friendly 
to  I'rotestant  missionaries  and  looks  upon  them 
as  powerful  social  forces  for  good. 

As  opposed  to  all  this,  what  would  result  from 
Kussi.m  vkiory  ?  I  shudder  even  in  its  contem- 
[ilation.  Tirst  and  foremost  would  come  the 
destruction  oi  Japan,  fur  she  will  light  until  she 


M 


:!! 


1^ 


*,-. 


H\> 


158    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

spciidb.  every  dollar  and  loses  every  man.  Should 
Russia  attempt  to  land  troops  on  her  shores,  even 
the  women  and  the  childre-i  would  share  in  the 
contlict  and  the  carnage.  Russian  victory  in 
Japan  would  mean  the  virtual  extermination  of 
the  people,  for  Japan  is  unconquerable.  She 
might  be  destroyed  by  superior  might.  But  the 
conquerors  would  enter  a  desolate  land.  The 
Japanese  themselves  would  have  been  wiped 
out. 

Russian  victory  would  also  mean  complete 
control  of  Manchuria  and  Korea,  with,  probably, 
their  virtual  annexation  to  the  Russian  Lmpire 
by  right  ot  conquest.  Thus  established,  m  due 
season,  Russia  could  execute  her  plans  of  ap- 
propriating a  fair  share  of  China.  With  Japan 
overthrown,  no  western  land  would  venture  to 
interrupt  by  force  Russia's  plans  for  oriental 
empire.  This  means  the  military  partition  of 
China  between  Russia,  Germany,  France  and 
lingland.  "  But  what  haim  in  this," '^  nne  nniy 
ask.  The  h.irm  depends  of  course  on  what  these 
countries  aie  and  stand  lor. 

Manifestly  Russi.i  represents  absolute  impe- 
rialism, riie  rights  and  needs,  the  growth  and 
welfare  of  the  indi\idii.il  m.in  are  not  in  her 
thought.     Sellish,   political,  commercial  and  in- 


The  Real  Meaning  of  the  War     159 

dustrial  empire  is  the  aim  of  her  rulers.  In  their 
view  it  is  right  that  the  yellow  man  should  toil 
for  the  white  man.  The  development  of  the 
natural  wealth  in  mine  and  mountain,  the  crea- 
tion and  possession  of  great  monopolies  of  trade, 
of  railroads,  banks,  and  factories,  all  shall  be  in 
the  white  man's  hands  and  contribute  to  the 
white  man's  wealth.  Popular  education,  polit- 
ical power,  freedom  of  travel,  and  speech,  of 
thought,  belief  and  religion  for  subject  peoples, 
are  more  than  passively  ignored,  they  are  posi- 
tively denied  to  conquered  peoples.  Russian  rule 
crushes  local  states  and  degrades  the  masses,  the 
more  etTectually  to  secure  undisputed  power  and 
wealth. 

Russian  victory  means,  moreover,  the  e.;clu- 
sion  of  western  nations,  not  only  from  trade  in 
Russian  realms,  but  also  from  every  form  of 
inlluence.  Christian  missions  and  education  are 
forbiden  by  Russian  officials.  They  tamper  with 
the  mail,  exclude  obnoxious  publications,  and  in 
cveiy  w.iy  exert  themselves  to  keep  the  masses 
HI  abject  and  stupid  ignorance,  tven  durinp; 
their  brief  stay  in  Manchuri.i,  Russian  generals  in- 
terfered with  long  established  missionary  work. 

I  rue  ol  Russia,  the  .ilxive  charges  are  in  a 
degree  true,  .ilso,  ol  li.uice  .ind  Germany.     They 


in 


i 


'   'i 


|)-' 


160    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

too  in  their  foreign  colonies  and  in  their  rule 
of  dependent  races  rely  primarily  on  military 
strength. 

England  alone  stands  for  relatively  iair  and 
just  treatment  of  subject  races.  She  does  not 
exclude  elevating  influences;  instead  she  encour- 
ages them.  But  even  HngUsh  rule,  benign  and 
just  though  it  is,  signifies  enrichment  of  the 
white  at  the  expense  of  the  yellow  man.  It 
means  the  control  of  wealth  by  alieiis  and  not 
by  natives;  and  this  results  in  diversion  to  for- 
eign lands  of  wealth  which  should  go  to  t 
betterment  of  the  native  population. 

This  consideration  throws  ominous  light  on  the 
plans  of  Fiuropran  powers  for  China.  Unless 
China  can  in  some  uay  retain  the  rights  to 
her  own  natural  resources,  as  Japan  has  done, 
the  white  peril  to  her  industries  and  commerce 
will  prove  to  be  a  peril  of  tremendous  pro- 
portions, l-or  her  own  futuic  development  China 
should  retain  possession  of  her  natur.il  wealth. 
When  she  .ivv.ikens  and  begins  to  build  her  cities 
and  her  iinpire  on  a  scale  c<tmmensni.ite  with  her 
people,  the  wcaltli  of  lu-r  mountains  and  her 
mines  will  be  lucdcd.  Hut  if  these  are  the  pei- 
manent  possession  of  foreign  c.ipitalists,  the 
wealth    which    should    h.ive   gc^ic   to  make  her 


The  Reul  Meaning  of  the  War     161 

great,  intelligent  and  happy  will  be  perpetually 
drained  from  the  country.  This  aspect  of  the 
white  peril  in  the  Far  hast  receives  scant  con- 
sideration from  aggressive  white  men. 

Russian  victory  then  would  be  a  dark  omen 
lor  hastern  Asia.  I'hat  Japanese  evangelist  was 
right  when  he  compared  this  to  the  Greco- 
Persian  War.  Fancy  conditions  in  Europe  to-day, 
had  Greece  been  overrun  and  destroyed  by  Per- 
sian hordes.  Without  Grecian  inlluence  could 
our  modern  civilization  have  arisen  ?  Philosophy 
I  and  art,  ethics,  logic,  science  and  mathematics, 

all   had   their   rise   in   Greece,  and    no  race  has 
independently  produced  them.     Had  Persia  pre- 
vailed, the  subsequent  2.'MXi  years  of  European 
history  would     have     been     radically   dilferent. 
Similarly,    on    the   victory   uf    Russia   01    Japan 
turns  the  history  of  liastern  Asia  for  a  thousand 
years  to  come.     This,  however,  is  not  all.     The 
future  history  of  Russia.  Germany,  France,  and 
England  also  turns  on  the  role  they  play  in  the 
P."    Hast.     Military   possessions    and    lu-cessities 
there  will  dev.lop  un  these  countries  .1  ditTcrent 
fiistorv  from  what  would  otherwise  be  natural  to 
tlH-m.     Thus  is  It  clear  that  the  Russo- Japanese 
war  brings  a  crisis  in  the   history  „f   the   world. 
We  are  all  more  01  less  closely  involved. 


!l 


I'. 


■1 


!  I 


I   '  f 


,   ) 


I  ': 


162    The  White  Peril  in  the  Fur  East 

In  summarizing  we  fmd  that  the  real  mean- 
ing of  the  war  is  this:— Has  the  white  man's 
aggressive   poMcy  in   the   Far  East  come  to  an 
end  ?    Is  the  yellow  man  to  have  a  fair  chance 
to  enter  into  the  world's  best  life  and  progress? 
or  is  he  to  be  crushed  by  the  white  man,  and 
compelled  to  serve  him  as  the  hewer  of  wood, 
and  the  drawer  of  water  ?    Is  the  normal  devel- 
opment of  the  yellow  man  to  suffer  permanent 
arrest  under  the  grinding  heel  of  the  white  man  ? 
Involving  as  it  does  not  only  the  direct  welfare 
of  a  quarter  of  the  earth  s  population,  but  also, 
indirectly,  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  these  are 
questions  of  great  importance.     The  Russo-Japa- 
nese war  involves  world  relations.    Let  the  world 
therefore  have  a  thought  for  what  it  signities. 

This  view  of  the  meaning  of  the  war  I  owe,  in 
part  at  least,  to  my  Japanese  friends.  It  has  been 
preached  in  the  pulpit  and  proclaimed  in  lecture 
halls.  Count  Katsura,  I'rime  Minister  of  Japan,  m 
a  message  to  the  missionaries  in  May,  1404,  made 
use  of  the  following  significant  words:— 

"  The  object  of  the  present  war,  on  the  part  of 
Japan,  is  the  security  of  the  empire  and  the  per- 
manent peace  of  the  Hast.  That  such  a  war  is 
necessary  is  plain.  No  one  can  look  at  the  map 
and  recall  the  course  of  Russia  without  seeing 


The  Real  Meaning  of  the  War     163 

that  that  course  is  an  imminent  peril  to  Japan;  and 
that  the  peril  must  be  met  without  delay.     No 
less   clear  is  it  that  Russia  is.  and,  if  allowed  to 
be,  will  continue  to  be,  the  great  disturber  of  the 
peace  of  the  East;  and  that  there  can  be  no  per- 
manent peace  until  she  is  put  in  bonds  which  she 
cannot  break.     Regarding  this  also  there  can  be 
no  delay.     Therefore  I  say  that  the  object  of  the 
war  is  the  security  of  the  c-mpire  and  the  perma- 
nent peace  of  the  East.     To  this  I  may  add  t   .it  the 
situation   is   not  a   new  one.     The   position  of 
Japan  is  analogous  to  that  of  ancient  Greece  in 
her  contest  with  Persia,  a  contest  for  the  security 
of  Greece  and  the  permanent  peace  of  Europe. 
Japan  is  Greece  and  Ru.ssia  is  Persia. 

"  But  while  1  say  that  the  object  of  the  war  is 
the  security  of  the  peace  of  the  Empire  and  the 
permanent  peace  of  the  East.  I  s.iy  ;,ls()  and  with 
equal  emphasis,  that  the  war  is  not  a  war  for  the 
supremacy  of  race  over  race  or  religion  over  relig- 
ion.    With  ditTerences  of  race  or  religion  it  has 
nothing  to  do;  and  it  is  carried  on  in  the  interests 
of    justice,    humanity,   and   the    commerce  and 
civilization  of  the  world.     In  saying  this  I  am  not 
speaking   js  .m  individual  oniv;   I  .im  speaking 
as  Prime  Minister  also;  and  more  than  that  I  am 
expressing  the  mind  of  His  Majesty  the  Emperor." 


!! 


I 


XII 

THE  YELLOW  PERIL   rs,  THE  WHITE  PERIL 

HuROPEAN  diplomats  have  made  us  familiar  with 
the   "yellow   peril,"   as    a  future  contingency. 
But  is  it  not  strange  that  we  have  so  completely 
overlooked  the  great  and  scourging  reality  of  to- 
day, the  white  peril?    We  talk  about  the  pos- 
sibility of  Japan's  arming  and  leading  the  yellow 
race  in  a  contlict  with  the  white,  and  we  shudder 
over  the  woes  which  might  come  to  us.  should 
she  do  this.     But  do  we  consider  the  actual  woes 
which  the  white  man  is  today  inflicting  on  the 
yellow  man  by  his  presence  and  by  his  methods, 
by  his  armies  and  his  commerce  ?    Through  his 
seizure   of  important  posts  in  eastern  Asia,  the 
white  man  has  given  notice  to  the  yellow  that  he 
must    be    obedient  to    the   white    man's  will. 
France   in  Tonquid.  England  in  Hongkong  and 
Weihaiwei.  Germany  in  Kiaochao  and  Russia  in 
Port  Arthu,  and  Manchuria,  suggest  the  story  of 
the  white  man's  military  aggressions  on  the  yel- 
low mans  domain. 

164 


Yellow  Peril  vs.  White  Peril      165 

Repeated  armed  conflicts  with  China  during 
the  past  seventy-five  years  have  resulted  in  the 
pushing  of  white  troops  to  the  capital  itself  and 
have  led  to  the  destruction  of  large  parts  ol  their 
most  valued  treasures  and  buildings.     Repeatedly 
has  the  white  man  proved  his  military  might  and 
China    has    been   forced  to  the  acceptance   of 
wholly    unsatisfactory    treaties,    merely  on  the 
strength  of  this  might.     Even  at  the  time  some  of 
these  treaty  stipulations  were  manifestly  an  out- 
rage and  they  have  proved  to  be  disastrous  to  the 
welfare  of  China's  millions.     A  conspicuous  in- 
stance of  this  was  the  so  called   opium   war. 
England's  opium  trade  with  China  today  is  but 
one    form    of    the   white   peril.     In    Europe  or 
America  what  people  would  view  with  indiffer- 
ence such  treatment  of  its  territory  and  its  capital 
by  an  alien  race  as  has  been  inflicted  on  China  by 
the  white  man  ?    And  the  danger  to  China  is  not 
past.     It   is   but   now  reaching  its  culmination. 
For  are  not  the  nations  of  Europe  definitely  plan- 
ning the  division  of  China  among  themselves? 
What  that  would  signify  has  already  been  con- 
sidered.    If  the  conclusions  reached  are  true,  are 
we  not  justified  in  calling  the  white  man's  pres- 
ence  in   the  Far  East  the  "  white  peril  "  ?    This, 
indeed,  is  the  scourge  of  today.     The  white  peril 


I 


If 


!  1!!,; 


II" 


•11- 


I 


ill' 


t'l, 


166    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

is  the  cause  of  the  present  war.  The  "  peace  of 
the  Far  East,"  about  which  European  diplomats 
have  loved  to  talk,  is  not  their  real  aim.  They 
themselves  are  the  cause  of  the  turmoil  and  of 
the  ruin,  wrought  by  war  at  Port  Arthur,  and  on 
the  plains  of  Manchuria. 

The  white  peril   is  not,  however,  exclusively 
political  or  military.     These  are  but  the  means  to 
an  end,  for  the  white  peril  in  the  Far  East  is  also 
co.r   ..rcial  and  industrial.     It  threatens  to  des- 
troy  long   established   tradal  relations,  to  bring 
poverty   to   millions  of  workers  and  to  divert 
oriental  wealth  to  occidental  coffers.     In  China, 
the   white   man   seeks  to  introduce  methods  of 
business,  utterly  subversive  of  the  established  or- 
der and  repugnant  to  the  people;  and  the  China- 
man views  the  innovations  with  alarm.     The  es- 
tablished means  of  livelihood  for  millions,  sud- 
denly   removed,    involves    appalling    economic 
problems.     Such  for  instance  is  the  significance 
of  the  introduction  of  railroads. 

The  white  peril  reaches  even  further.  In  the 
administration  of  justice  the  white  man's  in- 
fluence, political  and  fmancial.  is  often  more  ef- 
fective than  right  and  truth. 

Still  further,  the  presence  of  the  white  man  in 
the  l-.ir  East  has  been  distinctly  destructive  of 


,    t 


Yellow  Peril  vs.  White  Peril       167 

morality.  We  count  the  oriental  immoral,  but  do 
we  realize  that  we  have  helped  to  make  him  so? 
Tie  Orient  and  especially  Japan  has  been  de- 
bauched by  white  men.  The  menace  of  his 
presence  to  the  higher  and  nobler  development  of 
the  East  can  hardly  be  realized  by  one  who  has 
not  lived  there  and  sought  the  uplift  of  the  peo- 
ple. The  most  sen  )us  hindrance  to  Christian 
work  is  the  immoral  life  and  selfish  spirit  so 
univeK>ally  exhibited  by  white  men  in  those 
■ands. 

In  vitw  of  these  facts,  is  it  strange  that  the 
Chinese  are  alarmed  at  the  growing  power  and 
presence  of  the  w  hite  man  in  his  country  ?  The 
significance  of  the  Boxer  outbreak  was  virtually 
this.  Railroads  with  mining  and  ten  itorial  con- 
cessions to  white  men  had  followed  in  quick  suc- 
cession, naturally  increasing  anii-foreign  fear, 
Fanime  and  economic  disturbance  gave  force  to 
fear  and  discontent.  The  solution  of  the  white 
peril  most  plausible  to  the  Chinaman  is  white  ex- 
pulsion—a method  not  un-ied  in  America  and 
Australia  as  a  solution  for  the  K  -ngolian  peril. 

Is  there  then  no  yellow  peril  if  Yes,  assuredly, 
but  not  SLuh  as  diplomats  fear  or  magazines  de- 
scribe. The  yellow  peril  is  a  correlate  tu  the 
white  peril      Let  the  present  trend  of  things  go 


1 1' 


if 


).l 


i     t 


.i; 


168    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

on  unchecked;  let  the  partition  of  China  take 
place;  let  the  white  man  seize  the  reins  of  au- 
thority in  all  the  principal  posts  '■"  China;  let  him 
develop  railroads,  banks,  mine  actories;  let 

him  take  the  proceeds  of  his  e  ises  to  his  na- 

tive lands;  let  him  carry  on  ail  .iiese  enterprises 
with  the  seltish  zeal,  and  insolent  manner  now 
common  to  the  white  man  in  the  East,  disdaining 
the  coolie,  compelling  him  by  brute  force  to  do  his 
will,  regarding  him  as  a  tool,  a  beast,  disregard- 
ing his  interests  and  his  rights  as  a  man;  then 
will  arise  a  yellow  peril  indeed.  The  while 
man's  treatment  of  the  yellow  man  will  in  time 
beget  such  feelings  of  indignation  and  hatred  to- 
wards all  white  men  that  when  some  great 
economic  crisis  comes,  as  come  it  must,  the  yel- 
low man  will  arise.  He  will  destroy  the  white 
man's  banks,  railroads,  factories  and  all  his  enter- 
prises and  drive  him  with  curses  and  bloodshed 
from  his  land.  The  attempt  of  the  white  race 
to  reduce  the  yellow  race  to  a  position  of  political 
subordination  and  of  economic  slavery  will  be- 
get economic  evils  beyond  the  white  man's 
control. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  white  man's  utilitarian 
"  businesslike  "  methods  and  haughty  spirit  will 
beget  a  corresponding  spirit  of  hatred;  and  when 


Yellow  Peril  vs.  White  Peril       169 

these  two  forces  meet,  the  economic  and  the 
spiritual,  the  real  yellow  peril  to  the  white  man 
will  begin.     The  Boxer  disturbances  will  be  as 
nothing  compared  to  the  evils  and  the  bloodshed 
of  those  days.     For  when  China  moves,  fifty  or 
a  hundred  or  two  hundred  years  hence,  to  throw 
off  the  incubus  of  a  long  established  tyrannical 
white  peril,  she  will  be  intelligent  and  equipped 
with  modern  wear  ons.     And  with  her  countless 
millions  she  will  overwhelm  th-  white  man  by 
the  torrent  of   her  hatred.    These  forebodings 
may  seem  unjustified  by  the  facts.     But  those 
who  have  not  lived  in  the  Orient  can  have  no  idea 
of  the  personal  attitude  and  conduct  of  the  aver- 
age white  man  towards  the  Asiatic.     Neither  can 
he  understand  the  feelings  of  the  insulted  Asiatic 
towards  the  white  man  himself.     In  emphasis  of 
this  personal  attitude  are  the  following  illustra- 
tions:— 

As  our  steamer  lay  in  h  igkong  one  winter's 
day  in  1887,  a  group  of  Chinese  coolies  came 
aboard  for  work.  1  was  watching  them  care- 
lessly, when  I  heard  an  Englishman  issue  some 
order.  One  coolie  evidently  failed  to  under- 
stand. He  turned  towards  the  officer  and  looked 
him  squarely  in  the  face  evidently  expecting  a 
repetition  of  the  command.     Instead  of  that  the 


I  I 


li'l 


'I 


/ 


)1 


t    , 


I'l 


170    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

burly  Englishman  struck  the  coolie  in  the  face 
with  his  list,  felling  him  to  the  deck.  That  was 
my  tirst  mitiation  to  the  white  man's  method  of 
ruling  the  Asiatic. 

At  Singapore  a  large  number  of  Chinese  came 
aboard — bound  for  Canton.  As  the  accommoda- 
tions of  the  Asiatic  steerage  were  insufficient,  a 
hundred  or  more  were  placed  on  the  open  deck 
and  kept  there  for  six  days,  without  protection 
from  the  weather,  although  a  severe  storm  passed 
over  us.  The  officers  treated  the  Chinamen  as 
they  might  have  treated  cattle.  And  this  treat- 
ment is  not  confined  to  the  Chinese.  Landing  in 
Yokohama  a  friend  of  mine  took  a  jinrikisha  and 
was  riding  quietly  along  when  an  Hnglishman  in 
a  dog-cart  came  up  from  behind.  Swinging  his 
long  whip  he  lashed  the  jinrikisha  man  around 
the  neck  thereby  raising  a  great  red  welt.  He 
then  drove  on  in  lordly  inditTcrence. 

Two  Hnglishmen  are  reported  to  have  been 
discussing  the  pros  and  cons  of  kicking  their 
"  hovs  ■'  -Chinese  domestics;  and  it  appeaf'ed  in 
the  course  i)i  tlie  conversation  that  one  of  those 
"bin's"  had  died  from  the  result  of  a  kick.  On 
last  sailing  from  Yokoham.i  I  was  the  mo'jtied 
spectator  of  a  scullle  between  .in  America  .  Iirst- 
class   passenger   and   .1   jinrikisha   runner.      The 


\f 


\, 


Ytllo.v  Peril  vs.  White  Peril       171 

white  man  had  taken  his  ride  without  making  a 
bargain  and  had  paid  the  runner  five  cents.  The 
latter  demanded  ten.  Although  the  tariff  board 
was  plainly  printed  in  English,  this  self-confident 
young  American  was  unwilling  to  conform  to  its 
requirements.  He  preferred  to  impose  on  the 
runner  and  to  have  a  scuffle. 

In  a  recent  article  on  "  The  Moral  Causes  of  the 
Russo-Japanese  War,  "  the  Chinese  writer,  ex- 
plaining what  he  meant  by  the  word  heathen, 
cited  the  case  of  an  American  sea-captain  who 
shot  a  Chinaman  through  the  back,  nearly  killing 
him.  In  compensation  the  captain  paid  his  victim 
twenty  dollars.  The  American  Consul  at  Foo- 
chow  swore  at  the  captain  and  called  him  a  fool 
for  giving  so  much,  adding.  "  '^Vhy,  it  is  only  a 
Chinaman." 

Incidents  of  this  nature  might  be  indelinitely 
multiplied.  In  all  the  treaty  ports  of  Japan  and 
China,  the  stories  of  the  relations  of  the  white 
man  10  the  yellow  are  sickening  and  dishearten- 
ing. The  white  man  relying  on  the  force  of  his 
fists  and  his  guns,  stirs  the  Asiatic  into  fierce  de- 
sire for  revenue.  So  far  as  the  governmental 
relations  of  Hajt  and  West  .ire  concerned,  they 
are  of  course,  always  presented  in  perfect  diplo- 
matic form.     Yet  th's  can  never  counterbalance 


I 


172    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

the  personal  indignation  involved  in  personal 
affront  and  wrong  suffered  at  the  hands  of  white 
men.  Unless  in  some  way  this  problem  of  the 
white  nnm's  treatment  of  the  Asiatic  be  solved, 
the  day  of  retribution  will  surely  come,  the  day 
of  the  yellow  peril. 

What  then  is  the  solution  of  the  white  peril  ? 
What  shall  induce  the  white  man  to  treat  the  yel- 
low man  with  justice  and  civility  ? 

Japanese  victory  in  the  present  war  will  have 
weight.  Those  white  men  whose  supreme  ideal 
is  migh*,  will  b.^  inspired  with  respect  for  the 
Japanese,  and  respect  modilies  conduct.  Japa- 
nese victory  will  also  tend  to  restrain  the  white 
peril  in  its  particularly  aggres'.ive  form  to-day. 
Immediate  danger  of  the  partition  of  China  with 
all  its  consequences  will  be  delayed,  perhaps 
even  averted.  If  tins  danger  can  be  permanently 
averted,  both  the  white  peril  and  the  yellow  will 
cease  to  threaten  the  Orient.  In  the  line  of  what 
may  seem  U)  be  .1  (.Hiixotic  suggestion,  I  shall 
venture  to  propose  that  the  governments  of 
Americ.i  .ind  l:ngland  issue  orders  that  their  own 
people  treat  the  Asiatic  with  courtesv  and  con- 
sideration. Thei.  governments  might  well  draw 
the  attention  of  sea  captains,  officers  and  sailors 
as  also  ol  .ill  military  men  sent  to  the  i-ar  Last,  to 


Yellow  Peril  vs.  White  Peril      ly^ 

the    need    of    observing    oriental    customs    of 
courtesy.      Ministers,     consuls,  '  and  "consular 
courts  in  those  lands  might  well  exercise  their 
powers  to  inspire  among  their  countrymen  (he 
importan  e  of  courtesy  and  fair  treatment.     The 
actions  of  many  a  man  might  be  modilied  did  he 
know    that    insolent    treatment  of  Asiatics   by 
white  men  was  formally   discountenanced  and 
condemned  by  his  own  government  and  was  a 
matter  of  observance  by  state  officials.     But  the 
ultimate  solution  can  only  come  through  belief 
on  the  part  of  the  white  race  in  the  essential 
eq.ali'y  of  worth  and  rights  for  all  men.     We 
must  really  believe  in  the  brotherhood  of  man. 
We  must  practice  the  same  high  standards  of 
conduct  in  our  relations  with  Japanese  and  Chi- 
nese as  we  practice  in  our  relations  with  Hnglish- 
nu'ii,  (lermans   and    Frenchmen.     Europe   must 
cease  to    regard    Asia   as   a    held    for   legitimate 
military  and  commercial  expansion,  regardless  of 
the  wishes  and  the  development  of  the  peoples 
of  those  l.inds.     In  other  words,  the  white  race 
must  abandon  its  cherished  conviction  of  essen- 
tial  raci.il  superiority  and  of   its  inherent   right 
to     dominate     the     earth,    and    to    subordinate 
all    coloured    races    to    its    own    economic    in- 
terests.    So  long  as  this  conviction  is   held  as 


:!(•'  '( 


! 


II 


Ip: 


i,     .  I 


174     Tlie  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

an  ideal,  so  long  is  the  white  race  to  continue  a 
peril  to  the  peace  and  welfare  of  the  earth. 

It  is  sometimes  said  that  Japan's  victory  spells 
the  immediate  rise  of  the  yellow  peril.  She  will 
reorganize  China's  military  power;  and  raising 
her  to  the  standard  of  her  own  efficient  financial, 
educational  and  governmental  attainments,  will 
make  those  four  hundred  million  people  invmci- 
ble.  And  then  combined,  China  and  Japan  will 
exploit  the  world.  Victorious  Japan,  they  say, 
means  buinptious  Japan,  swaggering  Japan, 
Japan  with  a  "big  head."  All  of  which  would 
signify  discomfort  and  immediate  danger  to 
America  and  Huropc.  This  in  truth  is  the  yellow 
peril  feared  by  some.  What  of  these  fears  and 
charges .'' 

in  the  first  place,  if  might  makes  right  for  the 
white  man,  why  not  for  the  yellow  man  ?  If 
Japan  and  China  have  the  might,  why  should 
they  not  swagger  and  burn  and  kill  and  rule  . 
We  wlu)  are  white  have  had  the  "big  head  ' 
badly  for  several  centuries.  Surely  turn  about 
would  i)e  but  tail  play. 

After  all.  however,  such  feais  reveal  the  deep- 
est ignorance  in  legard  to  both  China  and  Japan. 
Prolonged  experience  in  Japan,  acquaintance 
with  large  Lumbers  of  its  middle  class,  study  of 


If 


Yellow  Peril  vs.  White  Peril       175 

the   way   n.    which    they   have   been   growing, 
knowledge  of  their  ideals  and  of  the  motives 
that  control  their  lives,  all  these  make  it  impossi- 
ble for  one  who  ha^  lived  in  Japan  as  a  student, 
to  find  ground  ,  for  su.h  fears  and  expectations. 
The  Icadmg  statesmen  there  know  her  Jirancial, 
political  and  civilizational  statis  in  the  world. 
They  knew,  too,  the  evil  that  would  result  from 
a  race  war— Hast  against  the  West.     So  far  from 
seekinr  it,  uiey  would  try  in  every  way  to  avert 
it.        o  government  o-  people  would  more  heart- 
ily oppos     such  a   condict   than   Japan.      They 
know,  too,    the   sources   o!    their   own    present 
power,   life  and  improvement,   .ind  thev  realize 
mat    heir  continued  prosperity  closely  depends 
on  continued  intimate  relations  with  the  whole 
world.     Nor  are  they  without  deep  sentiments 
of  gratitude  to  America  and  lingland  for  the  fair 
and  even  kindly  treatment  accorded  to  her  by 
these  lands. 

When  Russia  appealed  to  the  world  for  sym- 
pathy on  the  ground  that  she  was  lighting  the 
white  iD.m  s  battles  .ind  that  she.  the  Christian, 
was  lighting  a  heathen  nation,  J.ip;in  was  stung 
to  the  qui.  •.  She  waited  with  eagerness  to 
iearn  whether  this  appeal  to  race  and  religious 
prejudice  would  gam  the  sympathy  of  the  West 


!'  H 


I 


I) 


iii 


I ' 


176    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

for  Russia.  And  it  was  with  intense  relief 
that  she  learned  that  the  common  people  of 
America  and  England  had  refused  the  appeal. 
The  subsequent  wide  expression  of  high  ap- 
proval by  Americans  and  Englishmen  alike  has 
turned  Japanese  thought  from  the  racial  and 
religious  prejudices  which  might  so  easily  have 
been  roused.  It  has  done  much  to  bind  the 
Japanese  nation  in  close  fellowship  with  the 
West,  thereby  helping  to  avert  the  yellow  peril. 

Suppose  for  a  moment  that,  because  of  colour 
and  religious  kinship,  American  and  English 
sympathy  had  been  with  Russia.  Suppose  also 
that  missionaries  and  merchants  had  universally 
sided  with  Russia  and  that  Japan,  without 
political  friendship  or  occidental  sympathy  had 
faced  Russian  aggression.  Would  she  not  have 
followed  our  lead  in  counting  the  war  one  of 
race  and  religion,  thus  deepening  the  chasm  that 
separates  East  and  West  P  And  in  the  event  of 
this  separation,  would  not  Japan  have  felt  that 
safety  for  her  lay  in  complete  spiritual  and 
material  identification  of  herself  with  the  in- 
terests of  the  Orient  as  opposed  to  those  of  the 
Occident?  Such  identification  would  have  in- 
sured the  yellow  peril.  American  and  English 
sympathy  accorded   regardless  of  race  and  re- 


Yellow  Peril  vs.  White  Peril       177 

ligion  has  knit  Japan  to  the  West  in  ways  that 
will  be  permanent.  When  the  war  is  over  and 
Japan  takes  her  lead  in  the  Far  East,  we  need  not 
fear  lest  she  show  an  unbecoming  tendency  to 
boast.  The  cultured  instincts  of  the  Japanese 
are  far  too  fine  to  admit  of  anything  so  out  of 
taste  as  that. 

She  will  not  brag,  neither  will  she  seek  to 
exploit  the  white  man.  She  will  make  no  im- 
possible demands  but  rather  will  she  serve  as 
mediator  between  the  white  and  yellow  races, 
striving  for  their  common  good. 

Although,    in   this   work    emphas;s   has   been 
laid  on  the  perils  to  the  Far  East  of  the  white 
man's  presence,  spirit  and  method,  justice  de- 
mands   some   qualification   of  certain   emphatic 
assertions.     Though  sailors,  soldiers,  merchants 
and  busmess  agents  manifest  as  a  rule  an  aggres- 
sive spirit,  they  do  not  constitute  the  entire  body 
of  white   men   in   (he  East.     Nor  in  important 
respects  do  they  fairly  represent  the  spirit  of  the 
nations  from  which  they  come.     It  is  a  strange 
•act.  true  though  strange,  that,  with  honourable 
exceptions,  the  white  resident  in  the  East  leaves 
at  home  his  ethical  standards  and  his  principles 
of  courteous  conduct  to  all  men.     Accepting  the 
familiar    saying,    "When   in   Rome   do  as   the 


'  ■( 


M 


■   •  ■, 


178    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

Romans  do,  "  he  falls  in  with  the  local  customs 
of  immoral  and  discourteous  white  men  in  their 
relations  with  Asiatics,  a  morality  and  a  dis- 
courtesy wholly  obnoxious  to  the  better  stand- 
ards prevalent  at  home. 

In   contrast  to  the  classes   named  above  are 
others  which    include    government  employees, 
school-teachers      and      missionaries.      Charges 
against    these     of     discourteous     conduct     are 
seldom  heard,  while  the  family  life  of  Christian 
teachers,   missionaries,  merchantmen  and  others 
has  convinced  Japan   and  will   ultimately  con- 
vince China  of  a  purity  in  the  home  of  the  white 
man  in  his  own  land,  unsuspected  from  the  life 
of  the  non-Christian  man  in  the  Orient  and  far 
superior   to   that  of   the  Oriental  himself.     The 
purpose  of  this  volume  forbids  emphasis  on  the 
value  to  the  Far  Hast  of  the  presence  in  the  Orient 
of    Christian    men    and    women.     They    form, 
however,  the  white  blessing  as  opposed  to  the 
white  peril.     1 1  writing  on  this  subject,  1  have 
forgotten  neither  the  better  sentiment  at  home 
which    conden,       insolent   aggression   and   im- 
morality, nor  the  representatives  of  this  senti- 
ment  residing   in   the  East   who   alone   redeem 
the  white  man  from  the  condemnation  which  is 
meted  out  to  him  by  the  Asiatic.     While  proper 


Yellow  Peril  vs.  White  Peril       179 

emphasis  would  demand  expansion  of  this  point, 
this   word    of  explanation   should   prevent  the 
reader  from  falHng  into  serious  misunderstandings. 
Another    matter    demanding    more  emphasis 
than  the  purpose  of  this  volume  allows  is  the 
value    to    the   Far   East  of  Christian   missions. 
There  are  those  who  on  insutificient  experience 
proclaim  an  absolute  chasm  between  the  minds 
and   hearts  of  the  East  and  the  West.     It  can 
neither  be  fathomed  nor  bridged,  they  insist.     In 
the  religion  of  Jesus,  however,  with  its  transfor- 
mation of  character,   with  its  living  faith  in  a 
personal  God,  and  with  its  practical  acceptance 
of  the  brotherhood  of  man,  the  chasm  of  race 
differences  is  abolished,  as  a  fact  of  experi-nce. 
One  God,  one  Father,  one  Christ,  one  hope,  one 
Kingdom,  one  spirit  of  service.     Made  one  in  all 
these  deeper  things  of  the  spirit,  our  differences 
of  race,  colour,  social  rank,  customs,  clothing, 
education,   sink   into  insignificance.     The  value 
of  Christian  missions  in  destroying  race  pride,  in 
begetting    mutual    esteem,    in    evoking  mutual 
trust,  and   in    producing  unity  of  thought  and 
feelmg  in  regard  to  the  deepest  human  i/roblems 
of  time  and  eternity,  can  scarcely  be  over-stated. 
In  this  unitv  lies  the  only  hope  for  the  permanent 
peace  of  the  world. 


M 


15 


f     i 


XIII 

THE  PERMANENT  PEACE  OF  THE   ORIENT 
—A  SUGGESTION 

In  discussing  oriental  problems  with  Japanese 
friends,  I  have  been  assured  repeatedly  that  the 
present  conflict  is  likely  to  prove  but  the  begin- 
ning of  the  armed  struggle  between  Japan  and 
Russia.  The  conviction  seems  to  be  that  imme- 
diately on  the  conclusion  of  the  present  war, 
both  countries  will  prepare  for  another,  be- 
cause Russia  will  not  and  cannot  accept  perma- 
nent  defeat   at  the   hands  of  Japan  whom  she 

scorns. 

Russia's  possession  of  Siberia  almost  insures 
repeated  effort  to  dominate  both  Manchuria  and 
Korea.  Indeed,  her  method  of  government  and 
of  expansion  would  seem  to  necessitate  her  pos- 
session of  these  countries.  Intelligent  Japanese 
hope  that  the  evil  day  will  be  delayed  until 
China's  attainment  of  modern  development  will 
enable  her  to  unite  with  Japan  in  the  next  contest 
with  Russia.  But  how  long  will  this  take? 
Japan    has    required  nearly  fifty  years,  and  this 

iSo 


Permanent  Peace  of  the  Orient      181 


I 


despite  the  fact  of  her  small  territory,  her  com- 
pact, homogeneous  and  patriotic  people,  her  pa- 
ternal government  and  her  devoutly  loved  Im- 
perial House.  Yet  these  have  all  contributed  to 
celerity  and  unity  of  movement.  With  her  ut- 
most speed,  can  China  accomplish  as  much  in  the 
same  length  of  time  ?  and  how  long  will  Russia 
require  to  fit  herself  for  a  second  war.?  Before  it 
begins  will  she  not  by  diplomacy  isolate  Japan, 
fighting  her  again  single-handed  ?  What  hope  for 
Japan  then  ? 

Furthermore,  are  Germanv  and  France  likely  to 
sit  in  idleness  meantime,  and  allow  the  plums  of 
oriental    commerce   to   be  largely  harvested  by 
Japan  ?    Will  they  not  invent  some  pretext  for 
territorial  and  commercial  expansion  ?    Recall  for 
example  the  action  of  Germany  in  1897.     Two 
of  her  Catholic  missionaries  had  been  murdered, 
and  the  outcome  of  it  was  that  she  sent  a  power- 
ful  fleet  to  China  bearing  the  "Gospel  of  the 
Mailed  Fist."    She  virtually  seized  Kiaochao  with 
two  hundred  square  miles  of  adjacent  territory 
and  secured,  by  a  friendly  treaty  of  course,  ex- 
clusive  commercial,   mining   and  railroad  privi- 
leges for  herself  in  the  entire  province  of  Shan- 
tung.    This   is  an  admirable  illustration  of  the 
possible  methods  of  western  aggression.     Verily 


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182    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

the  clouds  of  war  hang  low  when  such  injustice 
is  practiced  by  one  white  nation  and  allowed  by 
the  others.  The  white  peril  thus  growing  bids 
fair  to  breed  the  yellow  peril. 

Is  there  then  no  alternative  ?  Must  the  appeal 
to  brute  force  continue  ?  Must  human  destruction 
be  the  only  outcome  of  the  meeting  of  the  races  ? 

There  are  those  who  anticipate  changes  and  re- 
form in  Russia  herself,  reforms  which  will  in- 
sure peace  for  the  orient.  The  people  of  Russia, 
say  they,  will  not  allow  a  second  war  with  Japan. 
I  must  confess  to  great  scepticism  as  to  internal 
reforms  m  Russia,  such  as  shall,  in  any  material 
way,  modify  her  oriental  diplomacy.  Russia  is 
not  a  democracy  and  cannot  become  one  in  a  day 
or  a  century.  Be  the  reforms  what  they  may, 
the  Russian  people  are  not  likely  to  direct  her 
foreign  policy  or  her  diplomacy.  Russian  rulers 
are  delc.mined  to  consolidate  the  empire  in  order 
to  make  it  effective  and  productive;  and  this 
necessity  must  sooner  or  later  drive  them  to  re- 
newed efforts  to  possess  Manchuria  and  Korea. 
Rut  that  possession  Japan  can  never  allow.  Her 
very  existence  will  thereby  be  threatened. 
Herein  lies  the  tragedy;  for  both  nations  will  in- 
creasingly feel  the  need  of  complete  control  ot 
those  countries. 


Permanent  Peace  of  the  Orient      183 

Is  there  then  no  alternative,  no  solution  but  that 
of  repeated  war?  In  addilion  to  the  suggesti'^ns 
of  China's  rapid  development  and  Russian  internal 
reforms  as  likely  to  remove  the  danger  of  future 
conflicts,  two  others  deserve  attention.  The  first 
proposes  that  Manchuria  and  Korea  be  interna- 
tionally guaranteed  as  independent  states,  main- 
taining thrir  existence  not  by  their  own  military 
power  but  exclusively  by  the  common  will  of 
the  world-powers.  Switzerland,  Belgium  and 
Holland  were  thus  established  and  have  been 
maintained  by  international  consent,  as  "  buffer 
states,"  and  the  peace  of  Europe  has  been  due 
largely  to  this  arrangement.  Attractive  and 
promising  though  this  plan  may  appear,  it  can 
hardly  be  counted  feasible;  for,  to  succeed,  Man- 
churia and  Korea  must,  themselves,  be  governed 
in  accord  with  occidental  methods.  The  people 
of  those  countries  are,  however,  utterly  unable  to 
establish  these  methods,  or  even  to  maintain 
them  were  they  established  from  without. 

Joint  f-uropean  governmental  control  would  be 
unworkable  for  reasons  too  numerous  to  men- 
tion and  control  by  a  single  power  with  a  gov- 
ernor or  king  supported  by  an  army  of  foreigners 
virtually  abandons  the  principle  of  the  independ- 
ent buffer  state.     Moreover,  Russian  opposition 


;| 


,  1 


184    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

to  such  a  plan  would  be  so  bitter  as  effectually  to 
prevent  its  adoption  except  under  military  coer 
cion.  For  these  reasons,  this  form  of  the  "buffer 
state  "  proposition  seems  to  me  untenable.  So 
long  as  Russia  holds  Eastern  Siberia,  Korea  must 
be  subject  either  to  Japan  or  to  Russia,  and  Man- 
churia must  be  ruled  either  by  China  or  by  Russia. 

A  further  suggestion  is  now  made  as  a  possi- 
ble alternative.  It  has  been  discussed  at  length 
with  the  Japanese  themselves,  and  has  invariably 
met  with  approval.  American  friends,  however, 
tell  me  that  the  plan  is  visionary;  that  it  demands 
too  high  a  type  of  ..Itruism.  Now  the  solution 
of  any  difficult  problem  depends  on  the  source 
from  which  the  dithculty  comes.  In  the  present 
case  the  source  is  Russian,  German  and  French 
commercial  and  territorial  ambitions,  with  the 
methods  involved  in  carrying  out  these  ambitions. 
So  long  as  Russia  possesses  Eastern  Siberia,  so 
long  must  she,  as  already  shown,  look  with  cov- 
etous eyes  towards  Manchuria  and  Korea,  and  not 
until  she  controls  those  lands  and  also  a  large 
part  of  China  will  her  ambitions  be  satisfied. 
This  is  the  source  of  the  difficulty  and  it  points 
the  way  to  its  solution. 

in  presenting  this  plan  to  the  Japanese,  I  have 
frequently  stated  the  case  as  follows: 


Permanent  Peace  of  the  Orient      185 

Why  be  content  with  merely  driving  Russia 
from  Manchuria  ?  That  will  prove  but  a  tempo- 
rary expedient.  A  permanent  settlement  can 
only  be  secured  through  the  expulsion  of  Russia 
from  the  entire  Far  East.  So  long  as  she  retains 
Vladivostock  and  Eastern  Siberia,  she  will  lie 
along  the  northern  boundary  of  China,  and  with 
Japan's  return  of  Manchuria  to  China,  and  the 
withdrawal  of  her  troops,  Russia  will  promptly 
return  to  her  methods  of  diplomatic  duplicity. 
Will  she  fail  to  find  Chinese  officials  ready  for 
suitable  reward,  to  do  her  bidding  ?  Within  ten 
or  twenty  years,  will  not  Russia  regain  in  Man- 
churia by  diplomacy,  what  she  has  lost  by  war  ? 
And  after  that,  unless  again  driven  out  by  force, 
what  question  but  that  she  will  reintrench  her- 
self more  lirmly  than  before  ? 

In  the  meantime,  can  Japan  so  recuperate  from 
the  present  struggle,  and  so  reinforce  herself  as 
to  make  it  wise  for  her  to  wage  a  second  war 
with  Russia  ? 

Furthermore,  will  Russia  let  Korea  severely 
alone  ?  Will  not  her  emissaries  be  there  stirring 
up  disaffection  and  opposing  Japan's  reform  pro- 
gram, promising  glowing  things  if  Korea  will 
but  break  from  Japanese  leadership  and  accept 
Russian    help    and    sovereignty  ?    Whether,   m 


I  III 


f      I 

5     ! 


,   (1  '  ' 


•I 


1 86    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

spite  of  Russian  intrigues,  japan  will  be  able  to 
carry  Korea  successfully  through  the  period  of 
inevitable  turmoil,  involved  in  the  needed  internal 
reforms  and  international  relations,  is  an  open 
question.  It  would  not  be  strange  were  this 
ancient  and  corrupt  weakling  to  weary  of  Japa- 
nese tutelage.  And,  seduced  by  specious  prom- 
ises she  might  naturally  turn  to  Russian  troops 
for  relief  from  her  strenuous  teacher.  In  a 
word,  Russian  possession  of  Eastern  Siberia  is  a 
standing  menace  to  the  peace  of  the  East.  Now 
is  the  time  to  settle  tiie  question.  European 
military  coercion  of  Russia  in  behalf  of  the  peace 
of  the  orient  is  not  to  be  expected.  Japan  must 
coerce  Russia  herself.  She  must  light  and  she 
must  conquer  and  the  treaty  of  peace  must  re- 
quire of  Russia  the  surrender  of  all  Siberia  east 
of  Lake  Baikal. 

Thus  far  my  Japanese  friends  have  agreed 
with  me;  but  here  they  enter  their  first  dissent. 
"  While  all  you  say  is  true,"  they  answer, 
"could  Japan  expect  to  hold  Eastern  Siberia  per- 
manenMy  against  Russian  intrigue  and  attack  } 
Your  solution  is  insufficient,"  they  add,  "because 
Japan  has  not  the  power  after  pushing  Russia 
back,  to  hold  her  there.  With  full  preparation 
for  a  second  war  Russia  would  surely  conquer. 


r-t^jh;  :*«4ii!»«a3»ii«,4ii 


Permanent  Peace  of  the  Orient      187 

Our  possession  of  Eastern  Siberia  would  indeed 
be  the  very  occasion  for  early  renewal  of  the 
Russo-Japanese  conflict.  No,  your  plan  is  not 
possible.  We  must  inflict  on  Russia  at  the 
present  time  the  least  possible  territorial  loss  and 
national  humiliation  with  the  hope  that  the  re- 
newal of  the  struggle  will  be  the  longer  deferred. 
And  in  any  case,  after  this  exhausting  war  we 
shall  have  neither  the  time,  the  strength,  nor  the 
means  to  undertake  the  government  of  that  vast 
country." 

But  here  I  in  turn  have  insisted  that  my  full 
proposal  has  not  yet  been  heard.  Were  it 
limited  to  Japanese  seiz 're  and  possession  of 
Eastern  Siberia,  it  would  indeed  be  impracticable. 
The  essential  feature  of  my  suggestion  is,  how- 
ever, that  immediately  after  making  peace  with 
Russia,  Japan  promptly  arrange  for  the  sale  of 
Eastern  Siberia  to  some  powerful  nation.  Thus 
would  the  ends  desired  be  attained.  Japan's 
financial  strain  would  at  once  be  lessened  and  at 
the  same  lime,  she  would  enter  a  new  period  of 
national  prosperity,  unhampered  by  overwhelm- 
ing war  taxes. 

With  a  power  friendly  to  Japan  in  possession 
of  Eastern  Siberia,  Russian  reoccupation  would 
be  impossibi'',  and  with   it  her  exploitation  of 


■I'  '■ 


!1: 


I   M 


•   I 


188    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

Manchuria,  Korea  and  China  would  necessarily 
cease. 

Notice  would  also  be  effectively  served  on 
Germany  and  France  that  no  partition  of  China 
would  be  tolerated.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind 
that,  save  for  Russian  troops  and  exiles,  Siberia 
is,  practically  an  uninhabited  country.  With 
peace  assured  and  the  imminent  white  peril 
averted,  the  entire  Far  East  would  begin  to  be- 
lieve and  trust  the  white  man,  a  belief  and  a 
trust  essential  to  the  permanent  peace  of  the 
world.  The  races  of  the  orient  and  especially 
China  would  then  enter  on  a  course  of  healthy 
because  normal  development,  increasingly  ap- 
preciative of  modern  conditions  with  corre- 
sponding appropriation  of  modern  methods  of 
life  and  thought. 

But  the  question  v»'ill  be  asked,  "  What  coun- 
try is  sufficiently  trusted  by  Japan  and  also 
sufficiently  powerful  to  enter  on  such  a  plan  as 
this.^"  My  reply  would  be,  "Do  not  England 
and  the  United  States  of  America  fulfill  the  re- 
quirements ?  "  Let  them  jointly  pay  for  and  own 
Eastern  Siberia,  provide  it  with  government  under 
joint  commission,  admmister  it  as  an  international 
trust  until  it  is  able  to  govern  itself  and  finally  es- 
tablish it  as  an  independent  state.     This  would  be 


,ts!ieS««iau>kt*ii^ 


^^^f^l^^^e^^S^jTH^^^^^^ 


Permanent  Peace  of  the  Orient      189 

a  buffer  state  with  independence  permanently 
guaranteed  by  America  and  England.  An  offen- 
sive and  defensive  treaty  could  be  made  with 
Japan  whereby  in  cise  of  Russian  aggression 
these  three  countries  could  act  in  unison.  Since 
in  case  of  war  America  and  England  could  reach 
Russia  directly,  it  would  be  unnecessary  for 
them  to  maintain  large  bodies  of  troops  in  East- 
ern Siberia.  Under  such  conditions  it  is  not 
probable  that  Russia  would  again  disturb  the 
peace  of  the  Far  East. 

A  serious  question,  however,  is  as  to  whether 
either  America  or  England  would  consent  to  pay 
the  sum  required,  whether  these  countries  are 
sufficiently  altruistic  to  champion  the  cause  of 
the  orient.  On  this  point  1  confess  to  doubts 
myself.  I  fear  lest  there  be  too  many  little 
Englanders  and  anti-imperialistic  Americans  to 
allow  such  magnificent  altruism.  A  full  con- 
sideration of  this  suggestion  would  demand  a 
study  of  the  agricultural  possibilities  of  eastern 
Siberia,  her  mineral  and  other  natural  resources, 
and  of  the  probability  as  to  whether  so  cold  a 
country  could  ever  like  Canada  become  a  white 
man's  land.  The  commercial  value  to  England 
and  America  of  that  country  of  i,plendid  possibil- 
ities together  with  the  normal  trade  of  an  un- 


,»;  ;ilS,f.iHl'lt':**l<l»'-'*  Ct'l'  !•■  "*■  *  i|W!)iWl*»'t>-t«t\«ii"'-iirK*ni»i: 


:|'  ';, 


I  i 


1 

¥ 

1    '  V 

i 

190    The  White  Peril  in  the  Far  East 

divided  and  freely  developing  China  would  in 
time  become  exceedingly  great,  h  seems  to  me, 
however,  that  wholly  aside  from  utilitarian  con- 
siderations, the  altruistic  motives  alone  are  of 
sufficient  importance  to  warrant  the  suggested 
joint  action  of  America  and  England. 

This  is,  nevertheless,  as  appears  to  me,  the 
only  radical  solution  of  the  present  tragic  situ- 
ation. Not  until  some  portion  of  the  white  race, 
moved  by  a  sense  of  the  inherent  rights  of  man 
as  man,  is  ready  with  heroic  spirit  to  face  and  if 
need  be  to  fight  a  fellow  white  race  in  behalf  of 
the  yellow,  will  justice  be  done  to  the  orient. 
Not  until  then  will  the  permanent  peace  of  the 
world  become  possible. 

In  opposition  to  this  plan,  it  may  be  urged 
that  it  proposes  an  injustice  to  Russia,  dispossess- 
ing her,  as  it  does,  of  long  occupied  territory. 
Yet  since  this  territory  was  originally  seized 
through  military  aggression,  and  would  be  lost 
through  conquest  bv  Japan,  and  since  the  welfare 
of  one-third  t:,e  human  race  is  thereby  secured, 
the  proposition  would  seem  to  savour  of  justice 
rather  than  of  injustice.  It  is  also  clear  that, 
possession  of  Eastern  Siberia  is  not  essential  to 
the  existence  of  Russia,  whereas  the  expulsion  of 
Russia   from   that    country   is    essential   to  the 


n 


Permanent  Peace  of  the  Orient      191 

highest  well-being  of  the  Far  East.  The  crimes 
which  Russia  has  committed  in  Eastern  Siberia 
and  Manchuria  would  seem  to  justify  her  for- 
feiture of  that  region,  with  all  the  capital  in- 
vested there. 

Have  we  not  yet  reached  that  degree  of  in- 
ternational development  when  at  least  a  majority 
of  the  nations  can  agree  to  set  aside  their  preda- 
tory plans  and  conspire  together  for  the  righteous 
treatment  of  backward  races  ?  Might  not  their 
care  be  one  of  the  special  duties  entrusted 
to  the  Hague  Tribunal.^  Lasting  peace  will  not 
come  to  the  orient  until  an  occidental  people  is 
ready  to  champion  the  cause  of  the  Asiatic,  but 
thereafter  both  the  white  peril  and  the  yellow, 
will  cease  to  threaten  the  peace  of  the  world. 


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